Box for Inkstone and Writing Implements (Suzuribako) with Geese against Mount Fuji in Moonlight and (inner lid) with Plovers by the Seashore

early to mid-19th century

Not on view

Japan's most famous scenic view is rendered here in finely sprinkled gold and silver of varied grades. Seen beneath a full moon, the distant bird's-eye perspective encompasses Mount Fuji rising above clouds beyond a vast landscape. A formation of geese confirms the autumnal note of the moon; the pine-studded sandbar in the foreground waters evokes Miho no Matsubara, a nearby scenic place often associated with views of Fuji.

Artwork Details

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富士飛雁蒔絵硯箱
Title: Box for Inkstone and Writing Implements (Suzuribako) with Geese against Mount Fuji in Moonlight and (inner lid) with Plovers by the Seashore
Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
Date: early to mid-19th century
Culture: Japan
Medium: Black lacquer ground with gold and silver maki-e
Dimensions: H. 9 9/16 in. (24.3 cm); W. 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm); D. 1 13/16 in. (4.6 cm)
Classification: Lacquer
Credit Line: Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881
Object Number: 81.1.153a–f
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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