Four-case Seal Caddy (inrō), Cord Toggle (netsuke) and Decorative Bead (ojime)

This inrō was probably made and decorated by Koma Koryū, a member of the Koma family of lacquer masters known for his exquisite style during the eighteenth century. It is decorated with a maki-e lacquer technique called togidashi, which consists in polishing down layers of lacquer in order to reveal a design flush with the ground. Here, gold powder was used with tones of black to create different shades, simulating the effects of ink painting. The choice of subject matter – a mountainous landscape with birds of prey flocking in and around a tree as a few lone herons forage along a waterfall – and the flawless execution followed the literati aesthetic of the warrior class in the Edo period.