Suzuribako in red-brown urushi lacquered bamboo decorated with chrysanthemums among grasses, Shijō Zōhiko workshop, Kyoto, Japan, circa 1950

Text :

Rare suzuribako in red-brown urushi lacquered bamboo, work of the Shijō Zōhiko workshop, Kyoto, around the middle of the 20th century.

The domed surface of the lid is delicately decorated with a chrysanthemum motif among grasses, executed in maki-e and gold powder, where the lightness of the design contrasts with the natural texture of the polished bamboo. This decoration, both seasonal and poetic, evokes autumn in traditional Japanese painting and is part of the imperial symbolism of the chrysanthemum, a flower of longevity and elegance.

The two side panels, the base, and the interior are lacquered in a deep reddish-brown urushi, giving the piece a visual warmth and refinement characteristic of Kyoto production. The interior, designed for calligraphy, contains an inkstone and a small ceramic dropper.

The original paulownia box is signed 國光作 (Kokko saku), "made by Kokko", a craftsman from the Zōhiko house, founded in Kyoto in 1688. The printed label mentions the historic address of the workshop, attesting to the origin of the piece.

The work illustrates the continuity of the Japanese lacquer tradition in the 20th century, in a modernized and refined version of the art of suzuribako.

Dimensions: L. 25.5 cm; L. 11.5cm; h. 7.2 cm.