The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of May 21, 2026

A charcoal-black lacquered wood flask features a wide, flattened body tapering sharply to a slender pedestal and flared base. A narrow neck with a flat rim sits atop broad shoulders. Muted red scrolling vines, leaves, and grape clusters wind around the surface. These patterns concentrate on the upper curve and near the base. The dark finish is matte and slightly weathered, making the delicate red motifs appear as though fading into the charcoal background.

Sake Flask

1500s

Japan, Muromachi period

(1392–1573)
Black laquered wood with red lacquer
Diameter: 24 cm (9 7/16 in.); Overall: 30.5 cm (12 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1991.47.1
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

The evocative imagery of brushed leaves and bunches of grapes suggest that the artist referred to a particular painting when decorating this vase.

Description

This flask contained rice wine, or sake. Its wood body was shaped by a lathe before black lacquer was applied to the surface. A red lacquer design of grapevines, an auspicious motif, covers the surface. With their numerous, long-lasting fruits, grapevines traditionally symbolized fertility and longevity in East Asia.
  • ?-1991
    (Tajima Mitsuru, Tokyo, Japan, ?-1991, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1991-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 1991-present
  • Turner, Evan H., et al. “Notable Acquisitions.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, vol. 78, no. 3, 1991, pp. 63–147. Reproduced: p. 141 www.jstor.org
    Cunningham, Michael R. The Triumph of Japanese Style: 16th-Century Art in Japan. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Published by the Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with the Indiana University Press, 1991. Reproduced: p. 121
    Sŏn, Sŭng-hye. The Lure of Painted Poetry: Japanese and Korean Art. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2011. Reproduced: p. 76, cat. no. 74a
  • The Lure of Painted Poetry: Japanese and Korean Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 15-August 21, 2011).
    Cleveland Museum of Art, 1991: Notable Acquisitions.
    Cleveland Museum of Art, 1991: The Triumph of Japanese Style: 16th-Century Art in Japan.
  • {{cite web|title=Sake Flask|url=false|author=|year=1500s|access-date=21 May 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1991.47.1