{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O76310"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76310/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT3087/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT3087/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT3087","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MV8312","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O76310/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O76310","accessionNumber":"W.477-1910","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 a base material.  The craft of lacquering, as well as making <i>inro</i> bodies, is very complicated, time-consuming and expensive. This <i>inro</i> is decorated in two different lacquer techniques. They are gold <i>hiramakie</i> (low sprinkled picture) and <i>takamakie</i> (high sprinkled picture).  \r\nFrom the 1700s onwards, many more artists signed the <i>inro</i> they made. This example is signed Kajikawa, one of a family of lacquer workers who specialised in <i>inro</i>. It is often not possible to identify individual artists as many generations simply used the name 'Kajikawa'.","physicalDescription":"Inrō, of six cases, decorated with autumn flowering plants on the kinji and hirame ground in gold and silver hiramaki-e and takamaki-e and inlaid with silver dew drops.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Kajikawa","id":"A7377"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"},{"text":"inlay","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Kinji (gold ground), hirame (flat oval powder ground), gold and silver hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), takamaki-e (high relief maki-e), silver inlay","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":["2006AT3087","2021MV8312"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"026","id":"THES361121"},"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":"9.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signed Kajikawa","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"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 flowering plants, lacquer, signed Kajikawa, Japan, 1775-1850","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Plants, Autumn plants","id":"x31474"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.477-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"477","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-07","availableToBook":true}}