Knife box, wood covered in black lacquer with a continuous landscape at the water's edge with people, temples and buildings, rocks and trees in gold lacquer, the inside is divided into partitions, Japan for the European market, 1730-50

Knife box of European, rectangular form with a bow front and slanting top and raised on four claw and ball feet, wood covered in black lacquer with a continuous landscape scene at the water's edge, consisting of craggy rocks, pine and weeping willow trees and various small temples built out over the water, a group of men seated on a verandah and another group of men and women seated on low tables in gold and red hiramaki-e (metal or coloured powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it has hardened so that it is in low relief) and takamaki-e (maki-e in which parts of the designare raised by adding clay or charcoal powder), with kirikane (metal foil cut to various shapes and individually set into lacquer, often as a mosaic); the lockplate, pair of handles, hinges and ring are all in silver, with the lockplate escutcheon engraved with floral scrolls. The interior base is divided into regular partitions in order to store knives and other kinds of cutlery separate and upright,all lined with dark green velour.

Given by Art Fund under the terms of the Sutherland Bequest

This knife box copies a European form first made during the 1720s. Inside, it is divided into partitions in order to keep the knives (and other kinds of cutlery) separate and upright. It is likely that Dutch merchants stationed on the island of Dejima used knife boxes of this type and commissioned Japanese lacquerers to produce copies.

W.14-1960