Artwork Page for Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Europeans

Details / Information for Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Europeans

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Europeans

蒔絵南蛮人図硯箱

1800s

Japan, Edo period

(1615–1868)
View all records in artwork set
Medium
lacquered wood with gold maki-e, silver inlay and red lacquer on black ground
Measurements
23 x 20.2 cm (9 1/16 x 7 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1969.59
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

The Japanese term nanban 南蛮 is used to describe designs like the one on this box.

Description

The two people on the left of this box lid's design are Portuguese traders, identifiable by their balloon-shaped pants. Facing them is a Jesuit priest in a long robe. Portuguese ships arrived in Japan in the 1540s. Imagery first made to document the appearance of the foreigners survived as decoration on later objects like this one.

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Europeans

1800s

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.