The ingenuity of this piece by Ikeda Taishin (1825-1903) is due to the wide range of techniques implemented upon the box and the striking use of traditional imagery. The box depicts pampas grass, valerian and arrowroot vine which are all motifs of spring on an exaggerated wood grained background. This graining was achieved through hot sand abrasion upon the wood. The wood grained background together with the inlaid shell and pewter, used to create the foliage and insects, creates a striking but harmonious design with distinctive features.
Similar to the famed lacquer styles of the artists Honami Koetsu (1558-1637) and Ogata Korin (1658-1716), Ikeda Taishin has used several materials to effectively depict a simple motif, in this case a bean vine. Despite being a simple composition the use of gold, lacquer and mother of pearl creates a naturalistic effect that contrasts with the worn wood background. The use of mother of pearl is a common feature of the Korin style. Due to the influence of realism in Chinese painting during the late 18th century Japanese lacquer artists began to adopt a more naturalistic approach in their work.
Physical description
Large rectangular paper box, decorated with autumn plants, with arrowroot leaves in pewter, delicate pampas grasses and petals in shell. A bamboo irrigation pipe cuts across the design and onto the side, with water flowing over rocks and into a river.
[Paper box] The exterior of the box is left partially undecorated, showing a dark brown wood with prominent grain which has been heavily rxaggerated by carving and possibly also by acids. The depressions in the grain are artificially darkened with a grey compound. The bases are lightly sprinkled with gold hirame and nashiji flakes on a black background, with a denser sprinkling on the interiors, and the risers of the ryoshibako. The edges of boxes and covers, and the top of the riser, are finished in gold hiramakie. The outside edges of the box are finsihed in gold lacquer which is textured to give a corroded effect.
[Lid] The exterior is decorated with autumn plants and a bamboo irrigation pipe. One end of the bamboo pipe passes through a wooden pipe growing out of the right hand side of the box. The bamboo pipe passes through a support; water pours from the left hand end into an open bamboo gutter on the left hand side of the box and over flows into a rocky stream. A flowering stem extends from the right hand side and front of the box and the lower half of the cover. The bamboo pipe is continued on the interior of the lid, passing through a wooden support and entering a mound which occupies most of the lower half of the surface. The mound is green takamaki-e, probably iron arsenate, with bands of sparse hirame at the base. The background is gold nashiji and hirame on black lacquer.
[Lid] On the exterior of the suzuribako is decorated with spring plants and a butterfly, in gold takamaki-e and togidashi-e. The interior of the cover is two butterflies and part of a stream, in gold and silver takamaki-e and togidashi-e. The background is gold nashiki and hirame on black lacquer.
Place of Origin
Japan (made)
Date
ca. 1860 (made)
Artist/maker
Ikeda Taishin, born 1825 - died 1903 (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Grained wood, with gold, silver and coloured lacquer, pewter and shell
Marks and inscriptions
[Lid] Taishin Koma
Dimensions
Height: 14.6 cm, Length: 43.7 cm, Width: 32.5 cm
[Lid] Height: 4.6 cm, Width: 18.1 cm, Depth: 25.0 cm
Descriptive line
Box for writing paper; grained wood covered in gold, silver and coloured lacquer, pewter and shell; decorated with seasonal imagery and a bamboo pipe; Ikeda Tashin, Japan, about 1860.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
J. Earle (Editor), Japanese Art & Design; the Toshiba Gallery Guide, , (V&A, 1986). Photograph on p. 72&73
Labels and date
BOX FOR WRITING PAPER
Grained wood covered in gold , silver and brown lacquer, pewter and shell
Autumn plants and a bamboo irrigation pipe
Signed Taishin with a seal-mark Koma
About 1870-1900
FE.6-1984
The exaggerated graining of this box reflects the influence of the lacquerer Ogawa Haritsu (1663-1747). His works were extremely popular during the Meiji period, particularly with Westerners. This box was produced by Ikeda Taishin (1825-1903), the best pupil of Shibata Zeshin (1807-91). Zeshin was the most creative influence in the field of lacquer during the second half of the 19th century.
Materials
Wood
Techniques
Lacquering
Subjects depicted
Plants; Butterfly; Autumn plants; Bamboo irrigation pipe
Categories
Containers; Lacquerware
Collection code
EAS
