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Lot 51 The Mike and Hiroko Dean Collection
A Four-Case Lacquer Inro with a Carriage
Edo period (late 17th century)
Closed8 December 2016
Price Realised
GBP 2,750
More Information
Specialist note
This inro reflects one of the most significant trends in lacquer design during the early and middle Edo period, the revival of the classical Rimpa tradition initiated by Hon’ami Koetsu and continued by various artists.
There is no known Japanese rendition of a Japanese court carriage similar to this canopied example and therefore it is possible that it could be based on a Chinese or European attempt at a depiction of a Japanese carriage. An illustration of a cart similar to this can be found in the late 18th century European publication, Drake’s Voyages.
The basket of books and fern are possibly references to an early Chinese poem or Boyi and Shuqi, two morally upright brothers lived in China at the time of the transition between the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC) and the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046-256 BC) and retired to the Shouyang Mountain.
There is no known Japanese rendition of a Japanese court carriage similar to this canopied example and therefore it is possible that it could be based on a Chinese or European attempt at a depiction of a Japanese carriage. An illustration of a cart similar to this can be found in the late 18th century European publication, Drake’s Voyages.
The basket of books and fern are possibly references to an early Chinese poem or Boyi and Shuqi, two morally upright brothers lived in China at the time of the transition between the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC) and the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046-256 BC) and retired to the Shouyang Mountain.