{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O76229"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76229/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT9207/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT9207/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT9207","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O76229/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O76229","accessionNumber":"W.459-1910","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\nMany <i>inro</i> were made of lacquer because it was highly suitable for storing medicines. Lacquer is the sap from the tree <i>Rhus verniciflua</i> that grows mainly in East Asia. The sap was processed, and the lacquer worker would then apply it in many thin layers to the base material. The craft of lacquering, as well as making <i>inro</i> bodies, is highly complex, time-consuming and expensive. Occasionally <i>inro</i> craftsmen used lacquer to imitate other materials. In this example, the entire decoration consists of black and gold lacquer that imitates the grain of wood. From the 1750s onwards, customers wanted more of this type of imaginative and inventive decoration.","physicalDescription":"Inrō of six cases, with lacquer imitating wood grain and with chrysanthemums in gold lacquer in relief, at either end. Black and gold togidashi with ends in gold takamaki-e.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Koma Kyuhaku","id":"A2252"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brown and black hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), mokume (wood grain) ground, gold takamaki-e (high relief maki-e), togidashi maki-e (polished-out maki-e)","categories":[{"text":"Lacquerware","id":"THES49004"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo period","id":"AAT106643"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AT9207"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"022","id":"THES361154"},"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":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Koma Kyuhaku","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"Japanese","medium":"","method":"","position":"on base","script":"Chinese characters","translation":"artist's name","transliteration":"","type":"Signature","note":"Signature; Japanese; Chinese characters; on base"}],"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 decorated with wood grain imitation, lacquer, by Koma Kyuhaku, Japan, 1775-1850","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.459-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"459","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-07","availableToBook":true}}