Cleveland Museum of Art
Cosmetics Box with Chrysanthemums
- Date
- early 1300s
- Medium
- lacquer on wood
- Culture
- Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333)
- Department
- Japanese Art
- Institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Object ID
- 139742
From the Cleveland Museum of Art record
In China, the chrysanthemum was historically appreciated for its association with the Double Nine Festival and the reclusive life of the poet Tao Yuanming (AD 365-427). In Japan, the 16-petaled chrysanthemum came to symbolize the Japanese imperial family after Emperor Gotoba (1180-1239) chose the motif as his personal emblem, having it applied to his sword and everyday utensils. This box proves that the flower also appeared on lacquer wares as early as the Kamakura period. In Japanese, this type of small box is called a tebako , literally a hand box, and was typically part of a cosmetics set.
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
- Provenance
- ?–1963: (Inosuke Setsu 濑津伊之助 [1897–1969], Tokyo, Japan, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) | 1963–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
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