{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121272"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121272/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV5239/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV5239/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MV5239","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT9204","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121272/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121272","accessionNumber":"W.320 to B-1910","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 <i>inro</i> is decorated with red and white plum blossoms, with each side of the <i>inro</i> depicting a different colour, and a small bamboo centred on each side. \r\nFrom the 1700s onwards, many artists signed the <i>inro</i> they made. This example is signed Koma Yasutada. The Koma was one of the great families of lacquer artists who specialised in making and decorating <i>inro</i>. Koma Yasutada was the second Koma master, who died in 1715. The majority of surviving <i>inro</i> that bear this name can be dated stylistically to the end of the 18th or early 19th centuries. Therefore it must be assumed that these were the work of a later member of the family who assumed the name of an earlier master, as was often the practice in Japan.","physicalDescription":"Inrō depicting red and white plum blossoms in gold, red and silver on a black ground","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Koma Yasutada","id":"A17209"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"},{"text":"shell","id":"AAT11829"},{"text":"coral","id":"AAT11800"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"},{"text":"inlay (process)","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"roiro (highly polished black lacquer ground), gold, red and silver takamaki-e (high relief maki-e) and hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), inlaid with raden (shell) and coral","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":["2021MV5239","2006AT9204"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"030","id":"THES361125"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"030","id":"THES361125"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"030","id":"THES361125"},"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":"ca. 1775-1850","earliest":"1770-01-01","latest":"1850-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"7.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"taken from department file"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"taken from department file"},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"taken from department file"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō, netsuke and ojime, the inrō depicting red and white plum blossoms in gold, lacquer inlaid with pearl-shell and coral, signed Koma Yasutada, ca. 1775 - 1850","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"plum blossom","id":"x36015"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.320-1910","W.320A-1910","W.320B-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"320","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Inro","Netsuke","Ojime"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-03","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-20","availableToBook":true}}