Cash Box with Buddhist Motifs
workshop of Ogawa Haritsu, Cash Box with Buddhist Motifs, 1716, lacquered wood with inlay in various materials and iron fittings, Museum Purchase: Margery Hoffman Smith Fund, public domain, 2008.22
This work is not currently on view.
- Title
Cash Box with Buddhist Motifs
- Related Titles
original language: 仏具紋蒔絵小箪笥
- Artist
- Date
1716
- Medium
lacquered wood with inlay in various materials and iron fittings
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
9 15/16 in x 7 5/8 in x 14 7/16 in
- Inscriptions & Markings
inscription: Translation: Kyoho era, fire monkey year, autumn day, Haritsu
- Collection Area
Asian Art
- Category
Lacquerware
- Object Type
box
- Culture
Japanese
- Credit Line
Museum Purchase: Margery Hoffman Smith Fund
- Accession Number
2008.22
- Copyright
public domain
- Terms
The technique seen in this boldly designed piece makes use of inlay of mother of pearl, hardstone, various metals, and lacquer paste on a lacquered wood ground. The wide variety of materials is characteristic of the workshop of Ogawa Haritsu, a well-known poet who won even greater fame as a lacquer artist. We may also attribute to him the humor of using Buddhist motifs—a red wooden gong, a priest’s scepter, a fly whisk, and a rosary—to decorate a merchant’s cash box. Although this work bears a signature by Haritsu, it is probably not from his hand but by a disciple.
