Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Design of Pine, Camellia, and Bamboo, 1400s. Japan, Muromachi period (1392-1573). Lacquer on wood with decoration in maki-e; overall: x cm (9 1/2 x 8 7/8 in.). Writing boxes were indispensible personal possessions for the literate of medieval Japan. Beyond containing the tools for artistic expression and communication such as an ink stone, writing brushes, and a water dropper, writing boxes often featured scenes from classical literature or symbolic motifs rendered in a wide array of complex lacquer techniques.

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Size: 3226px × 3400px
Photo credit: © CMA/BOT / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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