{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121253"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121253/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM9204/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM9204/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM9204","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM9203","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC9341","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121253/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121253","accessionNumber":"W.245:1-1922","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. 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\nOwing to the small and limited size of the <i>inro</i>, much variety was provided by its decoration and the manner in which it was laid out over the surface. On one type of <i>inro</i>, the motifs were spread out over the entire body without taking account of its contours or borders. This often resulted in motifs cut by the edges of the <i>inro</i> at unusual or unexpected places. This <i>inro</i> is one such example. It depicts myriad dragonflies and butterflies in gold and red  <i>takamakie</i> (literally high-sprinkled picture) lacquer. This is a considerable achievement when considering the small scale of the decoration and the fact that it is carried out in the <i>makie</i> (sprinkled picture) technique. This involves forming the design by sprinkling gold and red powders on to a prepared lacquer surface.","physicalDescription":"Inrō decorated with dragonflies and butterflies. Gold, red and silver takamaki-e and hiramaki-e, enriched with kirikane and inlaid with gold foil and mother of pearl on a black 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":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"},{"text":"inlay (process)","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Roiro (highly polished black lacquer), gold, red and silver takamaki-e (high relief maki-e), hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), raden (shell inlay), kirikane (cut foil)","categories":[{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Lacquerware","id":"THES49004"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo period","id":"AAT106643"},{"text":"Art Nouveau","id":"AAT21430"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AM9204","2006AM9203","2017KC9341"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES361097"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Inro","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1775-1850","earliest":"1775-01-01","latest":"1850-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.245:2-1922","id":"O458099"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.245:3-1922","id":"O458099"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Pfungst Gift","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"9.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō decorated with dragonflies and butterflies, lacquer, Japan, 1775-1850","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Greenhalgh, Paul (Ed.), <i>Art Nouveau: 1890-1914</i>. London: V&A Publications, 2000","id":"AUTH352192"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"dragonflies","id":"x30673"},{"text":"butterflies","id":"x30135"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.245:1-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"245","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-01","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-20","availableToBook":true}}