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INCENSE STORAGE BOX
What appears to be a slice of a moon is actually a lacquered incense container. The cross-section of this “moon” is covered with thin strips of iridescent shell, inlaid to create an abstract pattern. The shimmering linear pattern evokes the moon’s luminosity. The use of pitted turban shell mimics its cratered surface. Here, the artist seems to be reflecting on both the physical characteristics of the moon and its beautiful celestial presence, which is celebrated in Japan through moon-gazing gatherings in the spring and early fall.
This is an incense container. The section inlaid with iridescent shell is a removable lid that lifts away from the turban shell base. As a work of contemporary lacquer, the artist, Yamamura Shinya, experimented with a unique form for a functional vessel that has deep roots in the Japanese tradition of incense appreciation, which originated in China and spread through Buddhist networks.
Object Number
S2014.9a–e
Date
2010, Heisei era
Artist
Yamamura Shinya (born 1960)
Place of Origin
Japan
Medium
Lacquer on wood with gold, silver powder, and turban shell
Dimensions
H × W × D (assembled): 6.1 × 8.4 × 5.4 cm (2 3/8 × 3 5/16 × 2 1/8 in.)
Credit line
Gift of Gordon J. Brodfuehrer