Model Tray
1880-1930 (made)
| Place of origin |
This footed tray, one of a pair, is part of a Japanese Dolls' Festival (hina matsuri) set. The Dolls' Festival is traditionally celebrated by girls on 3rd March. The focal point of the festival is the display of dolls, miniature furniture and household accessories. The dolls represent the emperor and empress, with attendants and musicians in ancient court dress. The more elaborate of these sets are arranged on tiered shelves in the home and celebrated with special food of diamond-shaped rice cakes and sake. This footed tray (takatsuki) was used on festive occasions for the ceremonial offering of food. It is likely, therefore, that it was used in the Dolls' Festival display to offer the special cakes. This Dolls' Festival group also consists of several incomplete sets of miniature lacquer furniture and daily utensils. If they could afford it, a family would possess a high-quality set of lacquered items, which were passsed down from generation to generation. This accounts for the incomplete nature of this particular set. It also suggests that they not only had sentimental value, but were also of artistic merit.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Lacquered wood and gold hiramaki-e |
| Brief description | Miniature tray, one of a pair, black lacquered wood with gold lacquer decoration, part of a hina-matsuri (Dolls' Festival) set, Japan, late 19th century-early 20th century |
| Physical description | Miniature footed tray in lacquered wood decorated in gold hiramaki-e (lit. flat sprinkled picture) with peonies and floral scrolls, in pair with FE.25-2003. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Given by Fumie Kosuge |
| Summary | This footed tray, one of a pair, is part of a Japanese Dolls' Festival (hina matsuri) set. The Dolls' Festival is traditionally celebrated by girls on 3rd March. The focal point of the festival is the display of dolls, miniature furniture and household accessories. The dolls represent the emperor and empress, with attendants and musicians in ancient court dress. The more elaborate of these sets are arranged on tiered shelves in the home and celebrated with special food of diamond-shaped rice cakes and sake. This footed tray (takatsuki) was used on festive occasions for the ceremonial offering of food. It is likely, therefore, that it was used in the Dolls' Festival display to offer the special cakes. This Dolls' Festival group also consists of several incomplete sets of miniature lacquer furniture and daily utensils. If they could afford it, a family would possess a high-quality set of lacquered items, which were passsed down from generation to generation. This accounts for the incomplete nature of this particular set. It also suggests that they not only had sentimental value, but were also of artistic merit. |
| Associated object | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.26-2003 |
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| Record created | March 11, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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