A FINE LACQUER FOUR-CASE INRO DEPICTING SHISHIMAI DANCERS, WITH EN SUITE NETSUKE

A FINE LACQUER FOUR-CASE INRO DEPICTING SHISHIMAI DANCERS, WITH EN SUITE NETSUKE
Unsigned
Japan, 19
th
century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Of upright rectangular form and oval section, the four-case inro bearing a beautifully dense gyobu nashiji ground, finely decorated in red and gold takamaki-e with mother-of-pearl inlays to depict shishimai dancers. One side decorated with one dancer bent forward, the hands reaching to beat the drum, as his hips sway to the music. The drum-shell decorated with a manji-diapered ground, and the iridescent robe highlighted with foliate medallions in hiramaki-e. The reverse similarly decorated with another dancer, dressed in striped lacquer pants, as he peeks through the opening in the shishi mask. The interior cases of nashiji with gold fundame rims.
With an amber ojime. The en suite Edo school wood netsuke carved as a seated shishimai dancer.
HEIGHT 7.4 cm, LENGTH 6.8 cm
Condition: Excellent condition with only minor wear.
The shishi masked dance (shishimai) is performed to ward off disease and calamity. It originated as a religious ceremony but the excitement of the dance, the music, and the rhythms increased over the centuries, so that over time it was performed for entertainment rather than ritualistic purposes.