Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Chinese Lions, Peonies, and Tokugawa Family Crest

This writing box belongs to a set of “thunderbolt” ground, lion-and-peony maki-e (“sprinkled picture”) decorated wedding furnishings dated to 1628. It was created for Princess Katsu—the daughter of Honda Tadatoki and Sen-hime, and the adopted daughter of the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada (1579–1632)—on the occasion of her marriage to Ikeda Mitsumasa (1609–1682), lord of the Bizen Okayama domain. The wedding took place on the 26th day of the first month of the fifth year of Kan’ei (1628). The lacquer set formed part of an expensive trousseau assembled to celebrate the princess’s marriage. These lavish furnishings were produced by the Kōami family of maki-e artists under commission from the Tokugawa shogunal family. The cohesive decorative program—featuring auspicious lion-and-peony motifs scattered across the surface in combination with a densely patterned “thunderbolt,” or zigzag (ayasugi), ground—demonstrates an innovative design approach. The Tokugawa family crest, the wild ginger leaf (aoi), appears prominently throughout the set, symbolizing the military strength and rising power of the shogunate. The karajishi (Chinese lion) is regarded as the king of animals, while the peony is known as the king of flowers; together, their auspicious pairing signifies prosperity and bravery This motif also alludes to the lion and peony imagery featured in “The Stone Bridge” (Shakkyo), a play in the Noh theatre repertoire.

In both design and technique, this writing box—and the larger set to which it belongs—may be regarded as an outstanding example of early Edo-period lacquer wedding furnishings. Nineteen objects from the original set made for Princess Katsu are preserved today in the Hayashibara Museum, Okayama, and are designated Important Cultural Properties. Separated from the set during the Edo period and later exported to Europe, it was once part of the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence (1831–1913), a noted English surgeon, horticulturalist, and art collector.