The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 21, 2025

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo

1400s

Japan, Muromachi period

(1392–1573)
Lacquered wood with gold and silver sprinkled powder (maki-e), stone, and metal
Overall: 24.2 x 22.6 cm (9 1/2 x 8 7/8 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 1969.124
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Pine, bamboo, and plum is a common seasonal motif; here the plum is replaced with camellia.

Description

Japanese writing boxes are designed to hold all the tools for traditional calligraphy, including an inkstone, water dropper, ink cake, and brushes. This box retains its inkstone and water dropper, the latter of which has a design of camellia and pine, matching the late winter, early spring lacquer motifs on the lid.
  • ?–1969
    (Setsu Gatodō Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1969–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • “Art of Asia Recently Acquired by American Museums, 1969.” Archives of Asian Art 24 (1970): 86–117. Mentioned: p. 107 www.jstor.org
    Lee, Sherman E. “The Year in Review for 1969.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 57, no. 1 (January 1970): 2–51. Mentioned: p. 51, no. 238 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 378 archive.org
  • Practice and Play in Japanese Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 20-November 30, 2025).
    Year in Review: 1969. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (January 27-February 22, 1970).
  • {{cite web|title=Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo|url=false|author=|year=1400s|access-date=21 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1969.124