Beschreibung:

Katalognummer: NE1119-317 A VERY FINE SHIBAYAMA AND LACQUER FOUR-CASE INRO DEPICTING URASHIMA TARO Unsigned Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) A finely inlaid four-case lacquer inro on a gold lacquered ground, with inlays of ivory, mother of pearl, coral, stained horn and tortoiseshell. Urashima Taro, depicted as an old man, is shown kneeling and looking at the opened box from which a turtle emerges. A crane descends above him. The reverse decorated with a leafy blossoming peony branch, one budding flower inlaid in coral, below three flying butterflies. The inside with dense nashiji. HEIGHT 8 cm, WIDTH 6.2 cm Condition: Some surfaces scratches, miniscule loss to the inlay of the mat underneath the box. Good condition. Provenance: British private collection. According to legend Urashima Taro saves a little minogame (straw-raincoat turtle) from an ill fate, which subsequently turned out to be the daughter of the dragon king. The next day a giant turtle appeared and brought Urashima to the underwater palace of the dragon king Ryujin. Urashima stayed there for a few days and received a box and was told not to open it. When he returned, everyone he knew was gone and everything had changed, so in his bewilderment he opened the box and suddenly turned into an old man. He then heard a whisper from the sea telling him he was told not to open the box, in it was his old age… Schätzpreis 估價: € 3.000 Startpreis 起拍價: € 1.500 -