A JAPANESE THREE-CASE LACQUER INRŌ MODELLED AS AN Ō-YOROI (SUIT OF ARMOUR)

A JAPANESE THREE-CASE LACQUER INRŌ MODELLED AS AN Ō-YOROI (SUIT OF ARMOUR)
MEIJI ERA, 19TH CENTURY

Realistically rendered in the round and decorated in gold nashiji and iroe hiramakie, the do (breastplate) and kabuto (helmet) decorated with kuraokami (rain dragons), raised on an armour box with mokume (wood grain) design; the interior in fundame, and with a hole to the top of the metal tehen (finial) of the helmet for the cord, unsigned, 10.9cm.

This type of inrō was an opportunity for the artist to showcase his technical mastery, using a large variety of lacquer techniques to realistically imitate the different elements of the armour. These inrō were a nod to the wearer's samurai heritage or military prestige.