{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O76287"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76287/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV8520/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MV8520/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MV8520","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT3156","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O76287/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O76287","accessionNumber":"W.259-1922","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\nFrom the 1750s onwards, craftsmen increasingly tried to find interesting and inventive ways to decorate <i>inro</i>. This example shows a hanging scroll that appears to be suspended from the top of the <i>inro</i>. The lacquer worker has even reproduced the figured silk mounts of a painting. The silver lacquer surface looks like paper or silk and the craftsman has incised it with thin lines that imitate East Asian calligraphy. \r\nFrom the 1700s onwards, many more artists signed the <i>inro</i> they made. This example is signed Toyo. Iizuka Toyo was a famous lacquerer who worked during the second half of the 18th century. Many of his descendants and pupils also used the same name. This makes it difficult to identify individual craftsmen.","physicalDescription":"This inrō, of rectangular form and elliptical cross-section, is decorated with Hotei on a hanging scroll, in gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e with Hotei incised in silver lacquer on a black lacquer ground. The reverse depicts a bamboo vase with iris in gold takamaki-e.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Toyo","id":"A7947"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"}],"techniques":[{"text":"incising","id":"AAT53847"},{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Nashiji ('pear skin' ground), gold hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), takamaki-e (high relief maki-e), togidashi maki-e (polished-out maki-e), kirikane (cut foil)","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":["2021MV8520","2006AT3156"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"014","id":"THES361146"},"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":"Pfungst Gift","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"3.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","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":"Toyo","transliteration":"","type":"Signature","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō decorated with Hotei on a hanging scroll, by Toyo, Japan, 1775-1850","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Julia Hutt, <i>Japanese Inro</i>, V&A Publications, 1997; plate 67"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"},{"text":"figure, male","id":"x31047"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.259-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"259","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-11","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-07","availableToBook":true}}