The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of May 11, 2024

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Hydrangea at Night

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Hydrangea at Night

1930s
(1926–89)
Lacquered wood and silver with gold, silver, and color sprinkled powder (maki-e)
5.4 x 23.1 x 25.3 cm (2 1/8 x 9 1/8 x 9 15/16 in.)
Lillian M. Kern Memorial Fund 2020.67
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

The moody, glamorous look of the box is an excellent example of reconsidering classical seasonal motifs.

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 the sun behind clouds—a contrast to the hydrangea flower in moonlight motif on the box’s lid.
  • ?–2020
    (Erik Thomsen Asian Art, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    2020–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Modern Japan (Japanese art rotation) 235. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 14, 2022-June 18, 2023).
    Early Rinpa (Japanese gallery rotation) 235. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (July 23, 2020-January 17, 2021).
  • {{cite web|title=Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Hydrangea at Night|url=false|author=|year=1930s|access-date=11 May 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2020.67