Sake Cup thumbnail 1
Sake Cup thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Japan, Room 45, The Toshiba Gallery

Sake Cup

ca. 1775-1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Sake cup (<i>sakazuki</i>) of circular and shallow form with a slightly everted rim and raised on a low foot, wood covered in red lacquer with the head and shoulders portrait of a beautiful woman in historical hairstyle and dress, probably that of the mid-Edo period (1615-1868), her hair being put up and adorned with a comb, three hairpins and an ornamental ribbon in gold, silver and black <i>hiramaki-e</i> lacquer (metal powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it has hardened so that it is in low relief). The reverse is of plain red lacquer with the signature Kajikawa saku ('made by Kajikawa') in the central well in gold hiramaki-e.This cup is one of a set of three, gradated in size, with beauties from different periods.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
wood covered in red lacquer with gold, silver and black <i>hiramaki-e</i> lacquer (metal powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it has hardened so that it is in low relief)
Brief description
Sake cup, wood covered in red lacquer with the head and shoulders of a historical beauty in gold, silver and black lacquer, signed Kajikawa, Japan, about 1775-1850
Physical description
Sake cup (<i>sakazuki</i>) of circular and shallow form with a slightly everted rim and raised on a low foot, wood covered in red lacquer with the head and shoulders portrait of a beautiful woman in historical hairstyle and dress, probably that of the mid-Edo period (1615-1868), her hair being put up and adorned with a comb, three hairpins and an ornamental ribbon in gold, silver and black <i>hiramaki-e</i> lacquer (metal powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it has hardened so that it is in low relief). The reverse is of plain red lacquer with the signature Kajikawa saku ('made by Kajikawa') in the central well in gold hiramaki-e.This cup is one of a set of three, gradated in size, with beauties from different periods.
Dimensions
  • Height: 2.9cm (Note: Measurements taken from the registers and converted from inches)
  • Diameter: 12.7cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
Kajikawa saku in gold hiramaki-e ('low sprinkled picture') (Signed Kajikawa for the Kajikawa workshop Made by Kajikawa for the Kajikawa workshop)
Translation
Made by Kajikawa
Transliteration
Kajikawa saku
Credit line
Given by Sutherland
Subject depicted
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
W.140-1921

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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