Artwork preview

Case (Inrō)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Case (Inrō), The image shows a black inrō, a type of Japanese case. The object has a rounded rectangular shape with a hinged lid and a handle on top. The handle is made of braided material, possibly leather or metal. The case is decorated with intricate engravings of swirling patterns and designs. The engravings are silver in color and cover the entire surface of the case, with two horizontal lines separating the lid and the body. The background of the image is a plain brown color. The case appears to be made of a dark material, possibly lacquer or metal, and has a reflective surface that shows a light source. The image presents the object from two slightly different angles.

Artwork details

Date:
18th–19th century
Medium:
Lacquered wood with silver metal thread applied over metal ground
Culture:
Japan
Dimensions:
599 × 375 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette