A RARE RINPA-STYLE SOAPSTONE-INLAID ‘POEM, CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND BUTTERFLIES’ LACQUER BOX AND COVER

拍品描述

A RARE RINPA-STYLE SOAPSTONE-INLAID ‘POEM, CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND BUTTERFLIES’ LACQUER BOX AND COVER Japan, first half of the 20th century, Taisho (1912-1926) to Showa period (1926-1989) Rectangular in form with rounded corners, raised on four lobed short feet, and featuring a flush-fitting cover, this exquisite box bears a lustrous roiro ground, finely decorated with iro-e takamaki-e and inlaid with various shades of soapstone. The design depicts a cluster of chrysanthemums in full bloom amidst leafy stems, accompanied by a calligraphic waka poem in hiragana, inlaid in pewter. The sides of the box are further embellished with delicate butterflies fluttering amidst the blossoms, while the underside of the cover is beautifully decorated in gold and iro-e takamaki-e, presenting a kimono stand and a wicker blind with suspended tassels, all set against a finely polished roiro lacquer ground. The poem reads: Moto no magaki wo, omohi wasuruna (もとの籬を、思ひ忘るな) [Even if the chrysanthemums should fade within the Ninefold Palace, do not forget the humble hedge where they once grew.] HEIGHT 6.4 cm, LENGTH 15.4 cm With an associated wood storage box (tomobako). The pewter-inlaid inscription on the cover of this box reproduces a fragment from a famous waka poem found in the Kokin Wakashu, one of Japan's earliest and most important Imperial anthologies of verse. Compiled in 905 during the Heian period, a time known for its courtly refinement, the anthology was created under the patronage of Emperor Uda (887-897) and later promulgated by Emperor Daigo (897–930). This particular poem is associated with a well-known anecdote in which a court poet, the Minister of the Left of the Hanazono house, attached this verse to a chrysanthemum presented to the Emperor. The poem exemplifies the cultivated sensibility of the Heian court, blending humility, elegance, and wit. It suggests that even when such humble blossoms enter an Imperial setting, their modest origins, and the individual who nurtured them, should not be forgotten.

图片