Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Mice and Fan

School of Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuō) Japanese

Not on view

This box for writing implements presents a novel vision of nature and art that reveals the spirited wit of urban culture in the mid-Edo period. Three mice devour a fan that once opened to reveal a classic poem on beautifully decorated paper. The gusto with which they dispatch this traditional art form becomes clear when the box is opened to show the tail and hindquarters of one through the hole they've nibbled in the cover. Ogawa Haritsu was a man of many arts—painting, pottery, and haiku poetry in addition to lacquer. His work is distinctive for its use of other materials with lacquer, and his use of lacquer to ingeniously simulate other materials.

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Mice and Fan, School of Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuō) (Japanese, 1663–1747), Lacquered wood with gold, silver, green hiramaki-e, gold and silver foil application, ceramic, ivory, and pewter inlays, Japan

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Mice and Fan, School of Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuō) (Japanese, 1663–1747), Lacquered wood with gold, silver, green hiramaki-e, gold and silver foil application, ceramic, ivory, and pewter inlays, Japan
Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Mice and Fan, School of Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuō) (Japanese, 1663–1747), Lacquered wood with gold, silver, green hiramaki-e, gold and silver foil application, ceramic, ivory, and pewter inlays, Japan
Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Mice and Fan, School of Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuō) (Japanese, 1663–1747), Lacquered wood with gold, silver, green hiramaki-e, gold and silver foil application, ceramic, ivory, and pewter inlays, Japan
Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Mice and Fan, School of Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuō) (Japanese, 1663–1747), Lacquered wood with gold, silver, green hiramaki-e, gold and silver foil application, ceramic, ivory, and pewter inlays, Japan

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.