Inro
1750-1850 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The inro is a container made up of tiers. From the late 16th century, Japanese men wore an inro suspended from their sash by a silk cord and a netsuke (toggle) because the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, had no pockets. They were originally used to hold their owner's seal and ink or a supply of medicines. However, inro rapidly became costly fashion accessories of little or no practical use. Most inro are rectangular with gently curving sides.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Takamaki-e (raised sprinkled picture) and hiramaki-e (low sprinkled picture) lacquer and silver foil on a black lacquer ground. |
| Brief description | Inro depicting a plum tree in gold, silver and red lacquer and silver foil on a ribbed black lacquer ground, Japan, 1750 - 1850. |
| Physical description | This inro is of rectangular form and circular cross section with a ribbed surface. It is decorated with a flowering plum tree extending from one top corner to that diagonally opposite in gold, silver and red takamaki-e (raised sprinkled picture) and hiramaki-e (low sprinkled picture) lacquer and silver foil on a black lacquer ground.. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | The inro is a container made up of tiers. From the late 16th century, Japanese men wore an inro suspended from their sash by a silk cord and a netsuke (toggle) because the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, had no pockets. They were originally used to hold their owner's seal and ink or a supply of medicines. However, inro rapidly became costly fashion accessories of little or no practical use. Most inro are rectangular with gently curving sides. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.189-1922 |
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| Record created | May 27, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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