{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O120940"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O120940/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV5313/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV5313/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MV5313","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT3147","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT3146","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC8196","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O120940/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O120940","accessionNumber":"W.110:1 to 3-1922","objectType":"Inrō, netsuke and ojime","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The <i>inro</i> is a container made up of tiers. Japanese men used them because the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, had no pockets. From the late 1500s onwards, Japanese men wore the <i>inro</i> suspended from their sash by a silk cord and a netsuke (toggle). They originally used it to hold their seal and ink or a supply of medicines. However, it rapidly became a costly fashion accessory of little or no practical use. Most <i>inro</i> are rectangular with gently curving sides. \r\nLacquer was most commonly used in the manufacture of <i>inro</i> since it was highly suitable for storing medicines. Lacquer is the sap from the tree Rhus verniciflua that grows mainly in East Asia. After processing, it is applied in many thin layers to a base material.  The craft of lacquering, as well as making <i>inro</i> bodies, is highly complex, time-consuming and expensive.\r\nThis example is decorated with a ship and stormy sea in gold and black <i>hiramakie</i> (‘low sprinkled picture’) and <i>takamakie</i> (‘high sprinkled picture’) lacquer. <i>Makie</i> is the most characteristic of Japanese lacquer techniques. It is a generic term for a number of related techniques. They all make use of gold, silver or coloured powders that are sprinkled on to wet lacquer before it hardens. \r\nAlthough this is an early inro from the 1600s, the design is already quite sophisticated. For example, it makes good use of the small size and links both main sides through elements of the design, such as birds flying across. Due to its age, it also shows considerable rubbing to the surface.","physicalDescription":"Inrō, with netsuke and ojime, decorated with ships in stormy sea with flying geese. Gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, which has been rubbed to reveal brown and black lacquer beneath, enriched with gold foil,  inlaid with pearl-shell, on a gold sprinkled lacquer ground.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"},{"text":"foil","id":"AAT160106"},{"text":"shell","id":"AAT11829"}],"techniques":[{"text":"inlay","id":"AAT53850"},{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Nashiji ('pear skin' ground), gold, brown and black takamaki-e (high relief maki-e), hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), aogai (thin blue shell) inlay, kirikane (cut foil)\r\n","categories":[{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Lacquerware","id":"THES49004"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo period","id":"AAT106643"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021MV5313","2006AT3147","2006AT3146","2017KC8196"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"016","id":"THES361111"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"016","id":"THES361111"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"016","id":"THES361111"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Inro","id":""}],[{"text":"netsuke","id":"AAT184865"}],[{"text":"ojime","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"17th century - early 18th century","earliest":"1600-01-01","latest":"1750-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Pfungst Gift","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Taken from department file","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō decorated with a ship in stormy sea, lacquer, Japan, 17th century - early 18th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Julia Hutt, <u>Japanese Inro</u>, V&A Publications, 199s; plate 120"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.110:1-1922","W.110:2-1922","W.110:3-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"110","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Inro","Netsuke","Ojime"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-06-26","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-10","availableToBook":true}}