{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O120965"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O120965/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BD7309/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BD7309/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BD7309","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BE6333","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BC9711","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC9321","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O120965/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O120965","accessionNumber":"W.302-1922","objectType":"Inrō","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. \r\nThis <i>inro</i> is part of a unique set of 12 calendar <i>inro</i> by Shibata Zeshin, each representing a different month of the year. All 12 <i>inro</i> are of a different shape and size, while the decoration is carried out in different lacquer techniques. \r\nZeshin usually referred to a particular month by depicting some aspect of a popular or religious festival that took place at that time. This <i>inro</i> representing the eleventh month depicts sake gourds and prunus blossoms. The sake gourds were symbolic of Frost Month Festival (Shimozuki). The most important element of this was the offering to the gods of sake brewed from the year’s rice harvest. The prunus blossoms were also characteristic of the winter months.  \r\nFrom the 1700s onwards, many artists signed the <i>inro</i> they made. This example is by Shibata Zeshin (1807-91), one of the most talented and renowned lacquer artists of the 19th century. He was head of a successful workshop with an enormous output.","physicalDescription":"Inrō with decoration depicting sake gourds and prunus blossom branches ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Shibata Zeshin","id":"A7951"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gold and silver hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e) and takamaki-e (high relief maki-e) lacquer on a dark green lacquer ground imitating stone\r\n\r\n題目：瓢箪梅柚子(仮) W302-1922\t  寸法：95×67×19\r\n\r\n表に瓢箪と梅、裏に柚子を描く\r\n青銅塗り地に瓢箪、梅、柚子をそれぞれ炭粉、錆上げ等による高蒔絵で表す\r\n地は黒を多めに使用した青銅塗り\r\n瓢箪は焼金研切り、及び銀と弁柄を蒔き黒で塗込んでの研切り\r\n房は朱の下付に金蒔研出しの後、朱、金粉を蒔いて朱漆で固め研出し\r\n柚子は炭粉石目蒔きの上に細粒子の金鈖を蒔き、磨く\r\n内側は梨地（3～4号）、合口及び上縁は金溜\r\n","categories":[{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Lacquerware","id":"THES49004"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo period","id":"AAT106643"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006BD7309","2006BE6333","2006BC9711","2017KC9321"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"45","id":"THES49801"},"free":"","case":"8","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Inro","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1865","earliest":"1865-01-01","latest":"1865-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.301-1922","id":"O120962"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.303-1922","id":"O120976"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.304-1922","id":"O120982"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.305-1922","id":"O120984"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.306-1922","id":"O120986"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.307-1922","id":"O120987"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.308-1922","id":"O102283"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.309-1922","id":"O120991"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.310-1922","id":"O121006"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.311-1922","id":"O121012"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.312-1922","id":"O121014"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Pfungst Gift","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"9.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō with decoration depicting gourds and prunus blossoms, lacquer, by Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Japan, dated 1865","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"flowers (plants)","id":"AAT132399"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.302-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"302","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-13","availableToBook":false}}