Unsigned
Japan, mid-19^th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Published: Kurstin, Joe (1999) Miniature Masterpieces: The Storytelling Art of Japanese Inro, pp. 77-78.

The four-case inro of lenticular profile bearing a lustrous roiro ground and lacquered in brilliant gold and iro-e hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, as well as keuchi and kinpun, with highlights in red lacquer, depicting Tsuchigumo (Earth Spider) entering the chambers of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, holding the hems of a blanket that the spider attempts to slowly pull over the peacefully sleeping retainer. Yorimitsu is attended by his bodyguards, Watanabe no Tsuna and Sakata no Kintoki, who are busy playing a game of go, blissfully unaware of the looming shadows of the monsters which are brilliantly executed in fine yamimaki-e, and are slowly gathering around the Raiko. The attendants Urabe no Suetake and Usui no Tadamitsu look in the distance, puzzled expressions on their face, as they search the dark for an answer to the disturbance. The interior cases in gold fundame.

HEIGHT 8.9 cm, LENGTH 7.6 cm

Condition: Very good condition with only very minor wear, particularly along the edges.
Provenance: Collection of Joseph and Elena Kurstin. Dr. M. Joseph ‘Joe’ Kurstin (1931-2021) was a prominent Miami ophthalmologist who arguably built one of the greatest netsuke collections of all time. He was known by netsuke and inro lovers worldwide and made many lifelong friends in this tight-knit community. He published several books and articles on the subject and generously lent his collection for exhibitions at the Yale University Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Epcot Center at Disney World, and The Tobacco and Salt Museum, Tokyo.

This design draws heavily from a satirical woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), published in late 1842. The original artwork depicts the Earth Spider conjuring demons within the mansion of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, also known as Raiko. An anonymous yet clearly masterful lacquer artist has adapted Kuniyoshi’s three-panel composition across the curved surface of the inro, with remarkable skill and imagination.

On one side, the Earth Spider looms ominously over Raiko's sickbed. On the other, his loyal retainers—Watanabe no Tsuna and Sakata no Kintoki—are shown calmly playing a game of go. In the background, Urabe no Suetake and Usui no Tadamitsu glance upward toward a ghostly procession, sensing the approaching threat. These apparitions range from the bizarre to the terrifying—a parade of yōkai, bakemono, and tsukumogami—rendered in exquisite yamimaki-e (black-on-black lacquer). They appear to be locked in battle, crossing swords and loosing arrows, as if vying for the chance to descend upon the unsuspecting humans below.

Kuniyoshi’s clever use of negative space to suggest flickering candlelight and lurking shadows is translated here into subtle shifts of black lacquer. When the inro is tilted, these forms emerge with haunting clarity—a striking example of how the lacquer artist transformed the medium itself to mirror the print’s spectral atmosphere. Likely a contemporary of Kuniyoshi, this anonymous craftsman has created a tour de force of narrative and technical mastery.