Ceremonial Palanquin (Norimono)

Object Details

• Label

  This palanquin was made for the wedding procession of the bride of a daimyo, or landholding warrior lord, who belonged to the Tokugawa family, relatives of the shoguns who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867.

  Of all palanquins, the most beautiful are the norimono that were commissioned for the wedding processions of daimyo, the class of warrior lords to which the shogun himself belonged. The procession of the bride to her husband's house intentionally displayed the wealth and power of the two families to be joined in marriage. On her journey which could be a few miles or several hundred, the bride was accompanied by a retinue bearing her dowry of lacquered furniture, clothing, and heirlooms, all of which were carried in lacquered chests decorated to math her palanquin.

  This wedding palanquin has the shape and decor typical of those made for daimyo families of high status during the Edo period (1615-1868). Its carrying beam, about five meters long, would have required three bearers in front and three in back. The passenger compartment is entered through sliding doors; panels on the roof fold back to facilitate boarding. The slatted windows, covered with silk, admit diffuse light and can be closed from the inside with sliding lacquer slats. If the doors were left open during travel or at a rest stop, rolling bamboo blinds could be lowered for privacy. Inside, the bride sat on a thick, silk-covered cushion.

• Provenance

  Sale, Sotheby's, London, October 31, 1984, lot no. 490 [1]

  To 1985

  Donald Weinman, Sands Point, New York, to 1985

  From 1985

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, purchased from Donald Weinman in 1985

  Notes:

  [1] According to Provenance Remark 1 in the object record.

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  A Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated (March 5 to June 16, 2019)

  Beautiful Palanquins -- Edo and Vehicles (December 16, 2008 to February 1, 2009)

  A Japanese Palanquin (May 19 to September 2, 1996)

  Japanese Art: Recent Acquisitions (October 8, 1988 - January 1, 1990)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Donald Weinman

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Purchase -- Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program

• Type

  Transportation Vehicle

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1850s, 1680s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Weinman, Donald

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Art, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Lacquer, Marriage

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Transportation Vehicle