Five-panel inro, Hara Yoyusai 1769-1845, Japan, Edo period

A five-panel inro signed Yoyusai, created in the first half of the 19th century by Hara Yoyusai (1769–1845), a master of lacquer from the Edo period. This refined piece, 8 cm high, is part of the tradition of inro art, combining technical virtuosity with delicate narrative sensibility.
The exterior is decorated with an animated scene, probably inspired by The Tale of Genji, executed in gold and silver lacquer using the complex techniques of takamaki-e (relief lacquer) and hiramaki-e (flat lacquer), on a deep brown background with golden highlights.

The scenery unfolds seamlessly across the five compartments, creating a fluid landscape: architectural elements, finely sculpted vegetation, figures in motion within an aristocratic garden, all enveloped in a poetic atmosphere. Every detail, from the veins of the bamboo to the folds of a kimono, is meticulously rendered.
The reverse reveals a composition in suite, showing two figures near a palanquin on a path lined with pine trees, one of them smoking his pipe.
The Yoyusai signature is inscribed in gold lacquer on the base.
Hara Yoyusai was one of the greatest lacquer artists of his time, working in Kyoto and Tokyo, celebrated for his elegant compositions and subtly textured backgrounds. A spiritual heir to the Koami tradition, he masterfully combined classical rigor with decorative invention, profoundly influencing 19th-century aesthetics. His works are held in the collections of the Tokyo National Museum in Boston and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The interior of the inro is entirely finished in nashiji lacquer, a technique involving sprinkling gold particles onto a lacquered background, evoking the sheen of a pear. The cord is fitted with an amber-colored blown glass ojime, whose soft transparency complements the warmth of the gold.
A piece, rare due to the complexity of its decoration and the quality of its execution, for demanding collectors and lovers of classical Japanese art.