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Sake Dish

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

Sake cup (sakazuki) or dish of circular and shallow form with a slightly everted rim and raised on a low circular foot, wood covered in red lacquer with, on the obverse, seven women among autumn plants under a partial moon with three holding an insect cage each trying to catch insects, most probably fireflies, while a group of three men, including two samurai, walk towards the women in the lower right corner in gold, black and silver togidashi maki-elacquer (a type of maki-e in which a hiramaki-e (design is covered completely with lacquer and polished until the design reappears flush with the ground). Butterflies and dragonflies above stylised water are depicted on the reverse in gold, black and silver hiramaki-e (metal powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it has hardened so that it is in low relief) lacquer. The central well on the underside is signed Kajikawa saku ('made by Kajikawa') in gold hiramaki-e lacquer.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Wood covered in red lacquer with gold, black and silver <i>togidashi maki-e</i> (a type of <i>maki-e</i> in which a <i>hiramaki-e</i> design is covered completely with lacquer and polished until the design reappears flush with the ground) and <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 or dish, wood covered in red lacquer, an insect-gathering outing on a moon-lit autumn evening in gold, silver and black lacquer, signed Kajikawa, Japan, ca.1775-1850
Physical description
Sake cup (sakazuki) or dish of circular and shallow form with a slightly everted rim and raised on a low circular foot, wood covered in red lacquer with, on the obverse, seven women among autumn plants under a partial moon with three holding an insect cage each trying to catch insects, most probably fireflies, while a group of three men, including two samurai, walk towards the women in the lower right corner in gold, black and silver togidashi maki-elacquer (a type of maki-e in which a hiramaki-e (design is covered completely with lacquer and polished until the design reappears flush with the ground). Butterflies and dragonflies above stylised water are depicted on the reverse in gold, black and silver hiramaki-e (metal powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it has hardened so that it is in low relief) lacquer. The central well on the underside is signed Kajikawa saku ('made by Kajikawa') in gold hiramaki-e lacquer.

Dimensions
  • Height: 4.45cm (Note: Measurements taken from registers, converted from inches)
  • Diameter: 26.7cm
Measurements taken from the registers and converted to inches
Content description
fireflies, butterflies, dragonflies, townspeople, moon
Style
Marks and inscriptions
Kajikawa sakuin gold hiramaki-e (metal powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it has hardened so that it is in low relief) (Inscribed on the underside in the central well.)
Translation
Made by Kajikawa
Gallery label
Plate or bowl for sake
Wood, covered in red lacquer with gold and silver hiramaki-e lacquer
An insect-gathering expedition
Signed made by Kajikawa
About 1800-1850

This design is taken from an illustrated book by Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1751)

W.134-1921
Sutherland Gift
Credit line
Given by Sutherland
Object history
Strange catalogue (1924) no. 642
Literary reference
Bibliographic reference
The design on the upper surface of the cup/ dish is taken from an illustrated book by Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1751)
Collection
Accession number
W.134-1921

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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