Japanese
Writing Box, late 18th century
Lacquered wood, with gold and silver decoration, 15.2 x 41.4 x 34.3 cm (6 x 16 5/16 x 13 1/2 in.)
This oblong wooden box with pewter rims has a complex landscape scene done in gold lacquer in high relief on a ground of flaked gold lacquer on the exterior and powdered gold lacquer in the interior. The exterior of the lid shows cycad trees with palm-like fronds projecting from squat, thick trunks. The large tree at center left has ivy climbing up its trunk. Asters and bamboo grow from a rocky bank beside a pool in the foreground. Amorphous, dense, black and gold splatters outline and accentuate the tree fronds and the areas of sky in the landscape. A blossoming plum tree is shown on the reverse side of the lid and plum branches decorate the inside of the box.
Chinese Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.