Stand with Autumn Grasses and Flowers

first half of the 17th century

Not on view

This stand may have been converted for use in a tea ceremony from a table that would have been placed in front of Buddhist paintings to hold incense burners. It is embellished with autumn flowers and dew-dappled grasses, including chrysanthemums, pampas grass, and Chinese bellflowers. By the late sixteenth century, Kyoto, with its numerous workshops, had become the most important center of Japanese lacquer art. It was at this moment that Toyotomi Hideyoshi changed the way maki-e decoration was applied. The military leader ordered the maki-e decoration of large furniture items, household objects, and interior elements—objects that would not normally have been worthy of such luxurious treatment. By utilizing several relatively simple techniques, craftsmen were able to create innovative, bold designs without complicated underdrawings and could cover large surfaces in a comparatively short timeframe. This flamboyant style was named Kōdaiji after the temple in Kyoto that was dedicated to Hideyoshi and his wife, Nene.

Artwork Details

秋草蒔絵台子
Title: Stand with Autumn Grasses and Flowers
Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
Date: first half of the 17th century
Culture: Japan
Medium: Lacquered wood with gold hiramaki-e and e-nashiji (“pear-skin picture”)
Dimensions: H. 16 7/16 in. (41.8 cm); D. 10 1/16 in. (25.6 cm);
Shelves: H. 10 in. (25.4 cm); W. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)
Classification: Lacquer
Credit Line: Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015
Object Number: 2015.300.291
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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