A FINE JAPANESE LACQUER INCENSE BOX, TRAY AND INNER COMPARTMENTS, KOBAKO

MEIJI PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

Shaped as five volumes of the Tale of Genji, decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e, tamaki-e and nashiji and with details in red lacquer, the cover bearing the tale's title, Genji Monogatari, and with rectangular panels enclosing shishi and dragons, the inner tray decorated with an ornate barge on a meandering river next to a pavilion, a reference to chapter 24; the four smaller boxes underneath with symbols of the four seasons: pomegranates (winter), iris (spring), chrysanthemum (autumn) and morning glory (summer), the sides with geometric brocade patterns of aogai shell inlays, attributed to the Zohiko studio, with tomobako wood box, 4.8cm x 9.9cm x 13cm. (11)

Provenance: from the collection of Heronden Hall, Tenterden, Kent.

See the Metropolitan Museum of Art, access. no.38.25.165a-c for another kobako shaped as five volumes of the Tale of Genji. Also, Philadelphia Museum of Art, access. no.2010-44-1 for a related accessory box, tebako, decorated with similar panels of dragons and shishi.