地獄大夫蒔絵硯箱, Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Hell Courtesan’s Robe, late Edo (1615–1868)–early Meiji (1867-1912) period, ca. 1850–70, Japan, Lacquered wood with gold, silver, iroko (color) takamaki-e, hiramaki-e on black ground, H. 1 in. (2.5 cm); W. 6 in. (16.2 cm); L. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm), Lacquer, This small writing box merges two popular pictorial subjects: the “Whose Sleeves?” (Tagasode) composition and the Hell Courtesan (Jigoku Dayū). On the courtesan’s robe draped over a lacquer kimono rack, we see various demons and Emma-Ō, one of the Ten Kings of Hell, with his scowling red face and bulging eyes
Keywords:
地獄大夫蒔絵硯箱, Writing Box, Suzuribako, Hell Courtesan, Robe, late Edo, 1615–1868, –early Meiji, 1867-1912, period, ca, 1850–70, Japan, Lacquered wood, gold, silver, iroko, color, takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, black ground, H, 1, 2.5 cm, W, 6, 16.2, L, 5 1/2, 14, Lacquer, small, writing, box, merges, two, popular, pictorial, subjects, Sleeves?, Tagasode, composition, Jigoku Dayū, courtesan, robe, draped, lacquer kimono, rack, see various, demons, Emma-Ō, Ten Kings, Hell, scowling red, face, bulging eyes
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