Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia
The only place the mythical phoenix will perch is in the paulownia tree. Along with the dragon, the bird is a symbol of imperial power in East Asia. This box––a container for an inkstone, brushes, and ink––is both functional and lavish, its dramatic effects achieved with a pear-skin ground decoration (nashiji) and sprinkled powder decoration in high relief (takamaki-e).
Details
- Palette
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Select a color to find related artworks.
- Medium
- Lacquer on wood with sprinkled gold and silver powder (maki-e) and gold and silver foil application
- Dimensions
- No Extent Specified: height 0.04 m, width 0.205 m, depth 0.235 m
- Department
- Japanese Art
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image provider
- cleveland-museum-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
Art Genome Taxonomy
12 tags
Subject Matter
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Flora Metadata · 97%
The title identifies paulownia, and the image shows branching vegetation with clustered leaves and blossoms.
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Hybrids and Imaginary Creatures Metadata · 95%
The catalog identifies the central bird as the mythical phoenix, an imaginary creature represented prominently on the lid.
Visual Qualities
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Highly Ornamented Both · 99%
The catalog describes lavish lacquer decoration, and the image shows dense metallic ornament covering the lid and sides.
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Highly Detailed Both · 98%
Fine linear details are visible in the bird, foliage, wave patterns, and repeated ground decoration; the catalog also identifies elaborate maki-e techniques.
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Patterns Visual · 97%
The surface contains repeated wave lines, dotted grounds, foliage motifs, and patterned borders across the lid and sides.
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Shiny/Glossy Both · 95%
The lacquered surface and metallic applications produce visible reflective highlights, especially along the rounded edges and decorated passages.
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Metallic Both · 96%
Gold- and silver-colored ornament is visibly emphasized against the dark ground, while the catalog documents gold and silver powders and foils.
Medium and Techniques
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Relief Metadata · 96%
The catalog describes the sprinkled-powder decoration as high relief, or takamaki-e.
Materials
Tableware, Vessels, and Objects
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Container Metadata · 99%
The museum identifies the object as a writing box used to contain an inkstone, brushes, and ink.
Source & rights
Unknown artist. Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia. Cleveland Museum of Art.