A BLACK LACQUER SQUARE TRAY Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Of square form, supported on four bracket feet, the everted rim with indented corners. The roiro ground finely decorated in gold and iro-e hiramaki-e, togidashi-e, and kirigane with bamboo, leaves, thread, and tanzaku papers on a bamboo fence – alluding to the Tanabata Festival. The underside with a leafy branch with two flowerheads and the rim with a continuous band of scroll.

LENGTH 21.5 cm

Condition: Good condition, some minor wear and soiling to lacquer.
Provenance: Ex-collection Edward A. ‘Ted’ Wrangham (1928-2009), who formed one of the most important collections of Japanese Art in modern times. His reference book ‘The Index of Inro Artists’ (1995) is considered one of the most important English-language studies on Japanese lacquer ever published.

Tanabata (meaning ‘Evening of the seventh’), also known as the Star Festival, is a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.