Inro, Unryuan, Japan, ca. 1990
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1990
Inro, Unryuan, Japan, ca. 1990 is an object recorded by Victoria and Albert Museum, dated ca. 1990. The museum's brief description reads: Japan, modern crafts, studio, lacquer; Inro, silver, gold and black lacquer, landscape by day and night, signed Unryuan, ca.1990.
Museum description: The inro is a tiered container that was traditionally worn by men only. Since the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, had no pockets, Japanese men first used the inro to carry daily necessities. It later became simply a costly fashion accessory and status symbol. When Japanese men adopted European dress, they thought the inro was old fashioned and no longer useful. From the late 1800s Japanese men gradually stopped using it, and the complex skills needed to make inro were lost.
The lacquer artist Unryuan made this example around 1990. He spent several years of research and experiment to rediscover the lost methods of inro production. Here he has used a lacquer technique known as sumi-togidashie (an ink picture brought out by polishing). This imitates the brushstrokes of a painting. He has decorated the two sides to convey day and night. One side shows a landscape scene in the sun… The museum record gives material recorded as lacquer; measurements Height 9.0 cm; Width 6.3 cm; Depth 2.0 cm; place associated: Japan; maker recorded: Unryuan.
These details come from the holding museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The inro is a tiered container that was traditionally worn by men only. Since the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, had no pockets, Japanese men first used the inro to carry daily necessities. It later became simply a costly fashion accessory and status symbol. When Japanese men adopted European dress, they thought the inro was old fashioned and no longer useful. From the late 1800s Japanese men gradually stopped using it, and the complex skills needed to make inro were lost. The lacquer artist Unryuan made this example around 1990. He spent several years of research and experiment to rediscover the lost methods of inro production. Here he has used a lacquer technique known as sumi-togidashie (an ink picture brought out by polishing). This imitates the brushstrokes of a painting. He has decorated the two sides to convey day and night. One side shows a landscape scene in the sun in gold lacquer. You can see figures on the bridge and a fishing boat in the water. The reverse shows the same scene at night under the moon in silver lacquer, with no figures.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- lacquer
- Dimensions
- Height 9.0 cm; Width 6.3 cm; Depth 2.0 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Gold, silver and black lacquer
- Maker recorded
- Unryuan
- Place recorded
- Japan
Identification
- Museum object name
- Inro
- Museum object number
- FE.551:1 to 3-1992
- Museum system number
- O76167
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm materials, dimensions, maker and wider type against the holding institution and a specialist reference.