By Yosei, tsuishu lacquer on woodJapan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)The large and circular manju consisting of two parts carved covered in tsuishu lacquer depicting bushy vines of grapes on an asanoha ground. The inside lacquered in black with the signature reading YOSEI ZO (made this).The name Yosei corresponds to an important family of lacquerers from the 14th-19th century and Jahss writes "their (Yosei) tsuishu far surpasses the Chinese work in richness and color, beauty, skill of carving and variation of design".DIAMETER 4.5 CMCondition: Minor wear to lacquer, with one tiny hairline on the rim of the inside and the himotoshi bridge on the inside with losses to the black lacquerProvenance: Austrian private collection, formerly acquired at Galerie Zacke in the 1990s