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Japanese

Turtle Inro with Sake Cup Netsuke, 1800s

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Japanese

Title

Turtle Inro with Sake Cup Netsuke

Year

1800s

Medium

Wood with lacquer, ivory, and silk cord

Dimensions

3 x 9.7 x 6.4 cm (1 3/16 x 3 13/16 x 2 1/2 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

The cup is inscribed on the interior with three characters and on the exterior with a text, probably of a poem; signed on the base.

Place

Japan

Type

  • Decorative Arts,
  • Woodwork

Credit

Gift of Richard and Inge Chafee in memory of Francis H. Chafee

Object Number

2005.86ab

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Marking the Occasion

February 3 - May 28, 2006

This inrō (medicine box) is in the shape of a turtle, symbolizing long life.

Asian Art Galleries

Symbolizing longevity, this intricately carved turtle inro possesses carefully concealed seams that indicate it separates into four sections. Inro—cases for holding personal seals and other small items— were often made of lacquered wood. Japanese men wore inro as an accessory, attaching them to their sashes, or obis, with silk cord that connected to a netsuke, or miniature toggle. In this case, the netsuke is an ivory cup for drinking sake, an alcoholic beverage.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Turtle Inro with Sake Cup Netsuke with the accession number of 2005.86ab. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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