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Portable Picnic Set (Sagejū) with Chrysanthemum Sprays

18th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 231
The samurai warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–1598) established the tradition of grand cherry-blossom viewing parties, complete with large entourages, lavish banquets, tea gatherings, and other festivities. By the Edo period, such outdoor excursions had become a fashionable pastime among the elite, who carried elegant picnic sets containing stacked food boxes, sake bottles and cups, and small serving dishes. The humble bento box evolved from a practical food container into a luxurious work of art, exemplified by this finely decorated lacquer set. As prosperity spread, these sumptuous picnic ensembles also became accessible to wealthy merchants. The tiered boxes would have contained an artfully arranged selection of seasonal delicacies, including fluffy omelets (kasutera tamago), fish cakes (wata kamaboko), steamed flounder and sea bream, sashimi, and sweets such as karukan (steamed cake).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 菊枝蒔絵堤重
  • Title: Portable Picnic Set (Sagejū) with Chrysanthemum Sprays
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: 18th century
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Set: lacquered wood with gold, silver hiramaki-e, cut-out gold foil application on nashiji lacquer ground; sake bottles: pewter
  • Dimensions: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm); W. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm); D. 12 1/8 in. (30.8 cm)
  • Classification: Lacquer
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881
  • Object Number: 81.1.135a–e,g,i–t
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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