Early Edo period, 17th century
Gold makie on a black ground, Gilded copper cover and copper liner
23 x 23 x 20 (h) cm.
Suspended above gold makie cryptomeria trees and autumn grasses a frieze of musical instruments around the mouth of this piece supports a pierced copper cover on which are depicted tennyo, the Japanese interpretation of Buddhist apsaras, or heavenly spirits. Centrally placed against a background of clouds flies a single ornately dressed spirit enveloped in flowing scarves, as is typical of this image. Beneath her stand two further tennyo flanking a Buddhist mandorla above a scrolling border. Traces of gilding remain.
In the lacquer frieze beneath float nine musical instruments – various drums, flute shakuhachi, lute biwa, multi-pipe mouth organ sho, bells, gongs and a koto, A touch of humour shows the support stand of the gong weighted down by a duck.
This is a rich allusion to the importance of music in the Buddhist heaven, and may be compared to lacquer imagery used in the decoration of shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s mausoleum at the Kodaiji in Kyoto. It is probable that this piece also formed part of a temple’s furniture.