Suntory Museum of Art
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Notable Works
Brush pot with design of stripes and a scroll pattern in mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e

Notable Works

Lacquerware

Brush pot with design of stripes and a scroll pattern in mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e

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Place of production or style: Domestic Nanban lacquerware
Number of components: 1
Dimensions (in cm): D. (major axis) 7.3, D. (minor axis) 6.5, H. 8.8
Date of production: Momoyama period 17th century

This is an elliptical brush pot for standing up brushes. Black lacquer has been applied to the whole surface, the upper section is decorated with a vertical striped design of gold hiramaki-e, red lacquer, and embedded shapes cut out of silver. The lower section is encircled with a peony scroll pattern in mother-of-pearl. The overall composition features elements of foreign design, which were popular at the time, including the stripes, and the peony scroll, which is in the Korean style with the pattern assembled from pieces of shell indicating knowledge of the warigai (cracked shell) technique characteristic of Korean mother-of-pearl.

Notable Works

Brush pot with design of stripes and a scroll pattern in mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e

SUNTORY MUSEUM of ART