Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 11. (Budapest, 1968)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Ferenczy, László: Japanese Inrö in the Hopp Museum

of East-Asiatic Art of Cologne, is the work of Gamö Morimasa known for his guri lacquers and is dated corresponding to 1839. We can mention two other important dated inrö here: one, signed by Kizö and dated to 1860 belonged to the Tomkinson collection.

6 The other one was published in the catalogue of the J. Orange collection. It has the form of an ink-cake, is signed by Ritsuö and bears a date corresponding to 1720.

7 In any case, the collection and publication of dated inrö would be much needed for further studies. Among works published recently on lacquer work in Japan the books by Tomio Yoshino

8 and by U. A. Casal

9 must be mentioned. There have been only a few studies treating inrö itself. A study written by M. Tomkinson near the end of the 19

th century was devoted to inrö

10 and E. Gilbertson outlined the development of inrö, the leading masters and schools in the catalogue of the Tomkinson collection.

11 Since then three important works have been published on inrö which can be consulted with advantage : The catalogue of the large inrö collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum contains a short historical summary and a list of known inrö-makers.

12 This, together with the descriptive part on the inrö collection, formed the second volume of the catalogue of Japanese lacquer works in the museum. In a comprehensive study published in the Transactions of the Japan Society, U. A. Casal summarized the history of inrö, classified its various forms and enumarated Ukiyo-e style screens, kakemono and woodblock prints with representations of inrô.

13 A recent work by B. v. Ragué, a monograph on the inrö made by the members of the Töyö school and on their signatures can be cited as an ideal in the study of inrö masters and schools.

14 A number of similar monographs would be of much help. Besides the mentioned studies the relevant parts of catalogues can be consulted on inrö. As to the origin of inrö we can refer to the above studies by Tomkinson and Casal. Apart from this, some data and remarks mentioned by Schuyler Cammann in his book on Chinese toggles are of much interest. According to this the Chicago Museum of Natural History has a small Chinese box from the Sung period, in form similar to later inrö, which was meant to be worn on the girdle. The same museum has some wooden boxes of similar function from Eastern Tibet.

15 Although the origin of inrö seems to be connected with China, the merit of the artistic development of this small article for personal use is entirely due to Japanese craftsmen. With regard to Chinese connections three enamelled tinder boxes shown 6 Tomkinson, M. : Inrö. Transactions and Proceedings of the Japan Society of London. Vol. III. P. IV. 1894-95. p. 23. 7 Orange, J. : A small collection of Japanese lacquer. Yokohama, 1910. p. 48, PI. 40. 8 Yoshino, Tomio: Japanese lacquer ware. Tokyo, 1959. 9 Casal, Ú. A.: Japanese art lacquer. Tokyo, 1991. 10 Tomkinson, M.: Op. cit. 11 Tomkinson, M. : A Japanese collection. P. 1,2. London. 1898. P. 1. pp. I—IV and 31-48. 12 Strange: Op. cit. P. II. Medicine cases (inrö). 1925. 13

Casal, U. A.: The inrö. Transactions and Proceedings of The Japan Society, London. Vol. XXXVII. 1939-1941. pp. 1-53. 14 von Bagué, B. : Matériáién zu lizuka Töyö, seinem Werk und seiner Schule. Oriens Extremus, Jhg. 11. 1964. pp. 163-235. 15 Schuyler Cammann : Substance and symbol in Chinese toggles. Philadelphia, 1962. p. 156, Note 13.