Oval four-case inro showing scattered panels with flowers of the seasons by Hara Yōyūsai

Oval four-case inro showing scattered panels with flowers of the seasons c. 19th century

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ivory

asian-art

japan

decorative-art

ivory

miniature

Dimensions 3 1/2 × 2 1/8 × 7/8 in. (8.89 × 5.4 × 2.22 cm)

This is a four-case inro, made by Hara Yōyūsai in Japan, sometime before 1845. It’s made of lacquered wood, a painstaking process where many layers of sap are applied to a surface and then polished to a high sheen. The real story here is labor. This wasn't a casual hobby. Lacquerware was produced by teams of artisans, each with a specialized skill. This inro would have been a high-end commission, and the artist would have likely worked with the client to determine the imagery of scattered seasonal flowers. Each panel is exquisitely detailed with gold, silver and perhaps even powdered pearl to give the inro a subtle shimmer. The inro is completed with a netsuke, or toggle, carved in wood, with a character dressed in red holding a staff. This is attached with a silk cord and ojime bead. It's these small, beautiful, and functional objects that remind us of the intense material culture and artistic innovation in Japan. It really challenges our notions of what is "art" versus "craft," doesn't it?

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

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Against a fundame (matte gold) ground, medallions of different floral motifs are executed in slightly raised maki-e against black lacquered cut-outs sprinkled with kinpun (fine gold dust). The signature on the bottom of the case reads Yōyūsai, which could refer to Hara Yōyūsai (1772–1845), a highly revered lacquer artist in Edo, who would often base his designs on the paintings of his friend, the Rinpa artist Sakai Hōitsu. However, it is more likely that this inrō was made by another lacquer artist who worked under the same name during the second half of the 19th century.