A SUPERB TOGIDASHI LACQUER ‘FIREFLIES FROM THE TALE OF GENJI’ SUZURIBAKO (WRITING BOX)

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

Published: Atchley, Virginia G. (1991) Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, Japanese Lacquer from Southern Californian Collections, illustrated on the front cover.

Rectangular in shape, this exquisite suzuribako is decorated in iro-e togidashi-e, takamaki-e, and hiramaki-e techniques on a lustrous roiro ground. The kabusebuta (overhanging) lid depicts, over two-thirds of its surface, a loose bag of fireflies (hotaru), with the remaining third showing autumn grasses in moonlight, the blossoms inlaid in aogai (mother-of-pearl) and a border lacquered in negoro style. The moonlit furoshiki and the fireflies it fails to contain are lacquered in togidashi, while the autumn grasses and flowers are lacquered in hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, with small inlays of shell, on a section of the box lacquered to simulate wood grain. The interior of the lid features a moon-shaped panel in togidashi-e, depicting herons on a willow tree by a lakeside, encircled by e-nashiji ground.

The interior is finished in muranashiji, with gold fundame rims, and fitted with a removable grid housing the original implements: a paper cutter (kogatana), a knife (kamakiri), an iron water dropper (suiteki) signed Kamehisa, and two inkstones (suzuri), one signed Unboku with seal Asahi zo [made by Asahi]. The signed gold-flecked metal water dropper is modeled in the form of a waterpot.

SIZE 4 x 25 x 22 cm

Provenance: Ex-collection Elinor “Elly” Nordskog (1919-2013). Sydney L. Moss Ltd, London, 2013. From the collection of Eva & Aubrey Sweet, Melbourne, Australia, acquired from the above. A copy of the invoice from Sydney L. Moss Ltd., dated 7 June 2013, stating a purchase price of USD 19,950 (or approx. EUR 23,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies the lot. Eva and Aubrey Sweet devoted over six decades to the formation of a distinguished private collection of Asian art, with particular strength in Chinese jade, Japanese lacquer, and netsuke. Their collecting began in the 1950s and was refined through sustained travel, scholarship, and long associations with leading dealers, curators, and artists internationally. Aubrey, a Melbourne physician who also studied acupuncture in Beijing, and Eva developed a discerning connoisseurship that balanced intuitive appreciation with systematic study, supported by an extensive reference library and active participation in scholarly circles. They acquired works of historic importance as well as contemporary pieces by artists such as Susan Wraight and Unryuan (Kitamura Tatsuo), demonstrating a commitment both to tradition and to the continuity of craft. The collection, housed in their Melbourne residence and affectionately referred to by the family as “the Museum,” stands as a testament to their lifelong dedication to the aesthetic and cultural values of Asian art.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and light rubbing to the red lacquer.

With a wood tomobako (storage box) inscribed: 蛍蒔繪、御硯筥 Hotaru makie, on suzuribako [writing box, with the design of fireflies].

Fireflies (hotaru) hold rich poetic and symbolic meaning in both Chinese and Japanese culture, often associated with fleeting beauty, love, memory, and the souls of the departed. In Japanese folklore, they are linked to tragic romance and the spirits of warriors, their brief glow evoking the transience of life. The motif also recalls summer pastimes, when people gathered to catch fireflies, appreciating their delicate light in quiet reflection. In classical literature, as in the Tale of Genji, fireflies symbolize longing and revelation.

This image specifically references Chapter 25, “Hotaru,” from the Tale of Genji, where Prince Genji releases a swarm of fireflies into Lady Tamakazura’s chamber, their sudden illumination revealing her beauty and allowing her suitor a fleeting glimpse. This moment encapsulates themes of desire, ephemerality, and the interplay of light and concealment, resonating throughout the narrative. The scene became a beloved subject in Japanese art for its elegance and emotional depth.

There are many stories involving fireflies in Japanese folklore, but this particular image also evokes the story of the Chinese scholar Shaen (Ch’e Yuan) from the fourth century, who, while a poor student, studied by the light of a lantern made from a bag of fireflies. The furoshiki and fireflies in this box may also simply reference the popular summer pastime of gathering fireflies, an activity enjoyed by all levels of society.

Museum comparison:
Compare a closely related lacquer suzuribako depicting fireflies, dated 19^th century, in the Walters Art Museum, accession number 67.77.


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