Description AN EXCEPTIONAL TIERED LACQUER BOX WITH THE EIGHT VIEWS OF LAKE BIWA (OMI HAKKEI)
Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
A masterfully lacquered two-tiered wood box in the shape of a fan, used to store incense. The guards of the fan are made from silver, as is the moon on the cover and the rims on the inside. The techniques used are takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, togidashi-e, nashiji and kirigane, predominantly in gold lacquer with some silver and black lacquer. The inside and underside are covered in dense gold nashiji.
Depicted is the Omi Hakkei (Eight views of Lake Biwa), which is inspired by the traditional Chinese motif of Chinese Xiaoxiang Bajing (The Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang), and show a series of views around the southern part of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake a few miles northeast of Kyoto. The views are: Evening Glow at Seta, Sunset Sky at Awazu, Autumn Moon at Ishiyama, Returning Sailboats at Yabase, Evening Bell at Miidera, Night Rain at Karasaki, Descending Geese at Katata, Lingering Snow on Mount Hira.
SIZE 10 x 13.5 x 21 cm
Condition: Superb condition with extremely minor wear, mostly to the edges.
Provenance: German private collection, acquired from Yamatoya Gallery, Hakone Miyanoshita, Japan, in 1989 for approximately 1.3 million Yen.