Writing Box with Mount Otoko

This is a box used for storing writing implements such as inkstones and brushes. It is thought these boxes were first produced in Japan during the 10th century. Most were made of wood, with some decorated using techniques such as maki-e, whereby gold powder is sprinkled onto a lacquered surface to create a design, or raden, whereby pieces of mother-of-pearl are cut into a pattern and inlaid into the surface. As the contents of the boxes became more standardized, so did the designs on the implements and the inner and outer surfaces, with the boxes growing more compact and refined until they eventually became an indispensable part of any writing set. Highly-ornate writing boxes with sophisticated designs were cherished by nobles, Buddhist priests, warriors, and other powerful figures who wrote with brush and ink. This example is made of wood and has a lacquered surface complemented with decoration in maki-e. A gourd-shaped bronze water dropper sits above the inkstone. Water droppers contain the water used when making ink with the inkstone. Two removable shallow containers also lie on either side of the inkstone. These probably held a brush and a small knife. The surface of the lid features a foreground design of autumn flowers like chrysanthemums, fringed pinks, and balloon flowers, against a backdrop of mountains and the moon.

The rear surface of the lid and the box's inner surface portray a building next to a river. The designs utilize a variety of techniques, including raised maki-e, flat maki-e, and tsukegaki maki-e, which involves sprinkling gold powder on narrow lacquer lines. It seems this box was made in the 15th century, an era that saw the production of many compact, refined boxes decorated with a full range of exceptional maki-e techniques. The designs also feature several silver plates cut into the shape of Chinese characters. These are taken from a classical poem written by Minamoto no Masazane, a noble who lived from the late 11th century to the early 12th century. The theme of the poem is Kyoto's Mount Otoko, with the maki-e designs also portraying the landscape described in the poem. As this shows, Japanese art often features designs based on stories and poems, with some even incorporating characters from classical literature. Wealthy nobles and samurai stored brushes and other writing tools in ornately lacquered boxes. Using the “raised gold powder technique,” a master artisan decorated this writing box with a scene of Mount Otoko on a moonlit night. This sacred site was revered by the samurai, as it was home to a shrine dedicated to Hachiman, the god of archery.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.