Writing box with bridge and waves

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Writing box with bridge and waves

Japan

Date
18th century
Medium
Black lacquer with sprinkled gold, metal and shell inlay
Department
Asian Art
Institution
Minneapolis Institute of Art

This lidded box is a suzuribako, a box designed to hold an assortment of writing tools, including an inkstone, water dropper, ink sticks, an ink-stick holder, and brushes. The lid features a design of an arched bridge rendered in inlaid metals and mother-of-pearl over rough waves, made by applying powdered gold. These motifs may refer to the famous bridge over the Uji River in the town of Uji, a site celebrated in poetry since the 700s and used by Murasaki Shikibu as a setting for parts of her Tale of Genji. The inside of this box features an unrelated design of geese on a beach. The original inkstone and water dropper remain intact. Japan, Asia

View at Minneapolis Institute of Art ↗

The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.

Related across collections

Semantically similar works from Minneapolis Institute of Art and other institutions.

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Design of Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo (base)

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Design of Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo (base)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Base of Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum Containing Inkstone, Water-dropper, Brushes, Ink-stick Holder, and Paper Knife

Base of Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum Containing Inkstone, Water-dropper, Brushes, Ink-stick Holder, and Paper Knife

Cleveland Museum of Art

Writing box (suzuribako)

Writing box (suzuribako)

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Lid of Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum

Lid of Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum

Cleveland Museum of Art

Writing box with moon and wave design

Writing box with moon and wave design

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Design of Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo (lid)

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Design of Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo (lid)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo

Cleveland Museum of Art

Writing box (suzuribako)

Writing box (suzuribako)

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with the “First Song” (Hatsune) Chapter from the Tale of Genji (lid)

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with the “First Song” (Hatsune) Chapter from the Tale of Genji (lid)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia (lid)

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia (lid)

Cleveland Museum of Art

(Box for writing paper with landscape design)

(Box for writing paper with landscape design)

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum

Cleveland Museum of Art