Case (Inrō) with Design of Sage Seated on Rocks beside a Tree, Exhaling His Spirit (obverse); His Spirit Walking on Air (reverse)

Cylindrical case with rounded edges and a flat top and bottom. The case has two sides shown side-by-side. Left side shows a man sitting on rocks beside a tree. The man wears a long robe and has dark hair. He sits cross-legged on a rock, facing right, with one arm resting on a knee. The tree beside him has a thick trunk and rounded, bunched foliage. The background of the left side is mottled brown. Right side shows a landscape with white flowers. The flowers are on stems with rounded clusters of blooms. The background of the right side is mottled brown with a darker area on the right. The case appears to be made of metal with a dark patina. The bottom edge of the case has a twisted rope design. Two black straps curve over the top edge of the case. The straps appear to be made of leather or a similar material. The overall color of the case is brown with darker and lighter areas.

Artwork Details

Date: 19th century
Medium: Lacquer, kinji, gold and silver hiramakie, takamakie, togidashi, metal inlay; Interior: nashiji and fundame
Culture: Japan
Dimensions: 600 × 493 px
Public Domain: Yes
Museum Record: View original

Palette