LACQUER LETTER BOX (BUNBAKO) “HEIAN POETRY”

14.5 × 24.5 cm.

A highly artistic rectangular decorative box for storing letters and documents (bunbakoBunbako 文箱 — an elegant rectangular interior box, historically intended for keeping letters, poetry scrolls and official documents.). The body is covered with deep glossy black urushiUrushi 漆 — a natural lacquer made from the refined sap of the lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum). On hardening it forms an exceptionally durable, mirror-glossy coating. lacquer. The refined gilt decoration in maki-eMaki-e 蒔絵 — lit. “scattered picture”. A highly artistic Japanese technique of lacquer decoration in which gold or silver powder is sprinkled onto wet urushi lacquer. technique and the calligraphic lines on the lid reproduce a fragment of a 12th-century masterpiece — the anthology “Collection of the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets” (Sanjurokkasen, Nishi-Honganji version) in the writing style of Fujiwara no Sadanobu. The subject includes poetic images of an open book, a scroll and a festive furoshiki bundle.

In the corner of the composition is the original red seal of the artist — Shusai (秀斎).

An authentic accompanying insert with a transcription and translation of the poem into modern Japanese.