Case (Inrō) with Design of a Teahouse (obverse) Three Travelers En Route (reverse)

Cylindrical object with rounded top and bottom, made of brown material, possibly lacquerware. The object has a black knob on top and a red and white base. The object is decorated with two scenes. One scene shows three people walking, two men and a woman, dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, including head coverings, robes, and footwear. The man on the left carries a sword and a bag; the woman in the middle holds a sake jug; and the man on the right holds a walking stick. A tree with red blossoms is in the background. The second scene depicts a teahouse with a window and a sliding door. Inside the teahouse, a figure sits on the floor and there is a cylindrical object on the floor, possibly a basket. The scenes are rendered in gold, silver, and red. The object appears to be a case, possibly for storing small items.

Artwork Details

Date: 19th century
Medium: Lacquer decorated with sprinkled hiramakie lacquer, sprinkled and polished takamakie lacquer relief, and nashiji (pear skin) lacquer; Ojime: ivory and gold lacquer bead; Netsuke: carved wood bird (signed Shuko)
Culture: Japan
Dimensions: 599 × 459 px
Public Domain: Yes
Museum Record: View original

Palette