Suntory Museum of Art
About the Museum
Collection
Notable Works
Missal stand with design of IHS, cherry blossoms, mandarin orange, and paulownia in mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e

Notable Works

Lacquerware

Missal stand with design of IHS, cherry blossoms, mandarin orange, and paulownia in mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e

Click on the photograph for a larger image

Place of production or style: Export Nanban lacquerware
Number of components: 1
Dimensions (in cm): W. 28.7, D. 28.5, H. 32.8, L. (folded) 46.4-46.6
Date of production: Momoyama period 16-17th century

Namban lacquerware developed through trade with the Portuguese in the late 16th century, when exports of lacquerware with Western designs in maki-e and mother-of-pearl were popular. This is a missal stand for a bible. The collapsible stand consists of two folding panels, one for the book rest and the other for the leg. The initials IHS, the emblem of the Jesuits, are inlaid in mother-of-pearl and hiramaki-e on black lacquer. As in other Namban lacquerware, floral patterns fill in the rest of the surface, but the use of cherry, tachibana citrus, and paulownia give this example a more pronounced Japanese appearance.

Notable Works

Missal stand with design of IHS, cherry blossoms, mandarin orange, and paulownia in mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e

SUNTORY MUSEUM of ART