Writing Box with the Four Sleepers
- Date
-
制作年 Early Edo period（17th century)
- Title
- シスイズマキエスズリバコ
- Measurements
- 23.8×22.2×5.0
- Materials, techniques and shape
- Lacquered wood with maki-e
- Collections
- Century Akao Collection
- Depository
- Keio Museum Commons Campus Mita
The lid of this writing box is decorated with a raised maki-e (sprinkled metal) lacquer design of The Four Sleepers on the front, and the wandering Buddhist Monk Saigyō (1118–90) looking at cherry blossoms on the back. As a revered poet, Saigyō was often depicted in inkstone box designs. The Four Sleepers found on the front are the Chinese Zen master Fenggan and his pet tiger, and his disciples Hanshan and Shide. The shared theme of these Chinese and Japanese subjects is enlightenment in Zen Buddhism.
The inkstone box is square and comes with a lid. Inside are a round water dropper and an inkstone on the left, and a tray on the right side. Saigyō is depicted with silver maki-e lacquer on the reverse side of the lid, and the design of his robe is rendered in gold maki-e lacquer. Judging from the red and white cherry blossoms in Writing Box with the Priest Saigyō under a Cherry Tree at the Tokyo National Museum, the cherry blossoms of this work were probably painted.
Description from the exhibition Catalogue "Letter-scape: Century Akao Collection, A World of Letters and Figures", Keio Museum Commons, April 2021
Overview
Rights
Depository and ID
Components
OPEN DATADESIGN
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Details
Identifiers
- Title (EN)
- Writing Box with the Four Sleepers
Physical description
- Weights and quantities
-
Quantity 1合
- Materials, techniques and shape
-
Materials 高蒔絵
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