SOSHO: A LACQUER KOGO (INCENSE BOX) AND COVER DEPICTING UJI BRIDGEBy Sosho, the tomobako signed SoshoJapan, early 20th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) to Taisho period (1912-1926)Of circular form with a short broad foot and slightly domed cover, bearing a lustrous roiro ground finely decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e with a bridge surrounded by gnarled pines and a willow, the interior of roiro left undecorated.SIZE 2.3 x 10.7 x 11 cmCondition: Excellent condition with minor wear.With a wood storage box (tomobako) inscribed and signed Kogo Ujibashi SOSHO saku (‘An incense container with the design of Uji Bridge made by SOSHO’) with the seal SOSHO.A bridge with willows immediately evokes the bridge over the Uji River in southeast Kyoto, a view long celebrated in literary works such as The Tale of Genji. Uji serves as the setting for the last ten chapters of The Tale of Genji, ending with ‘The Bridge of Dreams.’ Paintings of the Uji Bridge decorated palaces by the 900s and remained popular for the next thousand years.