A gold-lacquer Ryoshibako (document box) and coverBy Ema Chuji (also known as Ema Chokan 1881-1940), Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early 20th century
Of standard rectangular form with inrobuta (flush-fitting lid), entirely covered in rich gold hirame and kinpun, decorated predominantly in gold and silver takamaki-e and gold okibirame, e-nashiji and togidashi maki-e depicting the sequential process of rice cultivation, on the lid in the foreground a farmer holding a rake standing in front of a thatched dwelling sheltered beneath a pine tree by a stream coursing through grassy banks, on the right figures carrying sheaves of rice and others picking the rice crop, a waterfall flowing down mountains in the distance; the inside of the lid with the Meoto Iwa ('Married Couple Rocks') in the sea at Futamigaura Bay, joined by a shimenawa (sacred straw rope), the front and sides of the box depicting more figures threshing and hulling, the inside and underside of the box of rich nashiji; signed inside the lid Chokan saku (Made by Chokan) and sealed Koami; with an inscribed cloth wrapper and wood storage box inscribed Hirameji kosaku maki-e onryoshibunko (Hirame ground maki-e document box with design of rice cultivation). 14cm x 39cm x 32cm (5½in x 15 3/8in x 12½in). (4).注脚Born in Fukushima Prefecture a pupil first of the Osaka comb-lacquerer Onishi Shunsai and then of Yamamoto Rihei V and VI, Ema Chokan became a professor at the Kyoto City School of Arts in 1916 and received his first Imperial commission in 1919, a bundai (writing table set) for the future Showa Emperor's coming-of-age ceremony. An important figure in the Kyoto lacquer world, he exhibited at the Teiten national salon on four occasions from 1928-1934.