Chabako by Mochizuki Hanzan

A lacquered tea ceremony utensils box

Edo Period, 18th century

21.3 by 11.8 by 9.2 (h) cm

Sealed Hanzan

The rectangular wood box and flush-fitting cover with pronounced wood grain, decorated over the top and sides with wind-blown poppies in various colors of gold, red, and silver takamaki-e and inlays of white and green ceramic, carved mother-of-pearl and pewter with veins in kebori. The lacquer is decoerated in kebori and tsukegaki, the edge ribs in dark red lacquer, and the interior and base in sparse nashiji, with the red lacquer Hanzan seal on the underside of the cover.

Mochizuki Hanzan (1743–90?) was one of the most talented followers of Ogawa Haritsu (1663–1747), whose innovative lacquer techniques were characterised by the inlay of a wide variety of materials, such as glazed pottery, pewter, and other materials.