{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O76266"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76266/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV4198/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV4198/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MV4198","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT8709","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BC9519","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC9289","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O76266/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O76266","accessionNumber":"W.222-1922","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\nMakers used a great variety of decorative styles and layout. On this example, the maker has spread the decoration over the entire body. As a result, the <i>inro</i> often cuts the decoration at unusual or unexpected places. This design shows 115 monkeys, many of which are dressed like human beings and engaged in human activities. It is a remarkable achievement given the small scale of the decoration and the use of the <i>makie</i> (sprinkled picture) technique. This involves sprinkling gold, red and brown powders on to a prepared lacquer surface to create the design.","physicalDescription":"This inrō, of rectangular form and elliptical cross-section, is decorated with 115 monkeys in various guises representing human occupations in gold, red and brown hiramaki-e lacquer. The interior is of nashiji lacquer.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Nashiji ('pear skin' ground), black, gold, red and brown hiramaki-e (low relief 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":["2021MV4198","2006AT8709","2006BC9519","2017KC9289"],"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":"1750-1850","earliest":"1750-01-01","latest":"1850-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Pfungst Gift","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"6.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō decorated with monkeys in human guises, lacquer, Japan, 1750-1850","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Julia Hutt, <i>Japanese Inro, </i> V&A Publications, 1997; plate 57."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Oriental Art at the V&A</i> p.50"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"monkeys (animals)","id":"x30136"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.222-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"222","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-11","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-07","availableToBook":true}}