{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O232471"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O232471/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV5271/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV5271/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MV5271","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT9239","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT9238","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O232471/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O232471","accessionNumber":"W.150:1 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 16th century 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 of rectangular flattened form with gently curving sides. \r\n\r\nThis <i>inro</i>belongs to a small group, all decorated with closely related subject matter of Chinese gentlemn pursuing scholarly activities. These were carried out in very similar lacquer techniques between 1650 and 1750, probably in the same workshop. Unlike the other <i>inro</i> in this group, this example is in the form of a <i>saya inro</i> (sheath <i>inro</i>). This differs from a standard <i>inro</i> in that the main body is enclosed in an outer sheath that contains the silk cord. In this <i>inro</i> large parts of the sheath are cut away to reveal the Chinese scholars depicted on the main body.","physicalDescription":"This sheath inrō, of rectangular form and elliptical cross-section, is decorated with scholars engaged in the four arts, namely calligraphy, painting, music and chess, with two scenes on each side of the main body. The sheath depicts pine and bamboo, with a geometrical rhomboid pattern on the side, top and bottom. Gold and silver hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, with black lacquer, enriched with gold and shell kirikane on a fundame ground. The main body is in the form of two separate nests of containers which fit together inside a frame sheath. The sheath divides horizontally about the middle.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"},{"text":"shell","id":"AAT11829"},{"text":"foil","id":"AAT160106"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Fundame (gold powder), gold, black and silver takamaki-e (high relief maki-e), hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), aogai (thin blue shell), kirikane (cut foil)","categories":[{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Lacquerware","id":"THES49004"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo (Japanese period)","id":"AAT106643"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021MV5271","2006AT9239","2006AT9238"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"014","id":"THES361109"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"014","id":"THES361109"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"014","id":"THES361109"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ojime","id":""}],[{"text":"Inro","id":""}],[{"text":"Netsuke","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":"1650-1750","earliest":"1650-01-01","latest":"1750-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.16","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.35","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"3.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō decorated with scholars, lacquer, Japan, 1650-1750","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Julia Hutt, <u>Japanese Inro, </u>, V&A Publications, 1997; plate 92"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"scholars","id":"AAT25579"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.150:3-1922","W.150:1-1922","W.150:2-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"150","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Ojime","Inro","Netsuke"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-07","recordCreationDate":"2009-05-14","availableToBook":true}}