Inro with crane taking flight

Inro with crane taking flight is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (Germany). Description supplied by the holding institution: The slightly bulbous, curved inrô is in four parts and features a concealed cord channel. Against the black lacquer ground, a crane spreading its wings for flight rises in light relief in red lacquer. On the other side of the container, the popular motif of the sea-spray wave is quoted in the engraved lacquer of the so-called »chinkinbori« technique. The riser (»tachiagari«) inside the inrô is decorated in gold with the hemp-leaf pattern (»asa no ha«). The style of this inrô points to a work of the Tsuishu Yôsei school. The workshop was run over 20 generations until into the 20th century. The »chinkinbori« technique executed on this inrô can be traced back to originally Chinese influences on Japanese lacquer art. »Inrô« are small containers that were used in Japan initially as seal cases and later primarily as medicine cases. Samurai, wealthy merchants, artists, and craftsmen wore them due to their pocketless, traditional clothing on… The collection record gives measurements height: 7.2 cm, width: 6.9 cm, depth: 2.5 cm. Published through Europeana; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.