Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji

Japan

Not on view

This incense box in the shape of two interlocking shells imitates the painted clamshells used in the shell-matching game (kai-awase). The scene here refers to Chapter 42, “The Fragrant Prince” (Nioumiya). Publicly recognized as Genji’s son, Kaoru has doubts about the circumstances of his birth. A poem voiced by him is inscribed in fine gold lines within stylized clouds:

Whom might I ask?
Why must it be
that I do not know
the beginning
or the end?

—Translation by Edward G. Seidensticker

Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan

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Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan
Incense Box (Kōbako) with Scene from The Tale of Genji, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold- and silver-foil application, Japan

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