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

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

Fig. 2. a —b characteristic of them. The Behrens collection had five inrö in similar style

19 and the Victoria and Albert Museum two.

20 One of the latters is decorated with a landscape, rocks and wawes in tortoise-shell and awabi inlay; it is dated to the mid-17

th century. The other one strongly recalls our piece. The representation of two Chinese sages decorates it in tortoise-shell inlay, with the heads in ivory. This inrö is signed by Inagawa and was dated to the beginning of the 18

th century by Strange. The depiction of the railing is similar to that on our inrö, but the rendering of the clothes seems less fine. There are no metal cord tubes. Presumably the makerv of this specimen followed already the style represented by our inrö. The study of early, Chinese style inrö would be useful with regard to the early history of inrö. It is interesting that this Chinese style was revived and similar representations were copied in the 19

th century on carved black inrö. 2. Square and flat inrö, the cord runners covered with silver plates. (Fig. 2. a —b). Three cases. Inside fine-grained nashiji. Gold hiramakie, koban and yakigane. The black ground is jiartly covered with thin gold powder. Rocky waterside with aquatic plants, various whelks and shells in relief, covered with gold and silver foil. Okibirame on the rocks. 6.7X6.1 cm. End of the 17

th century or early 18

th century. An early inrö of excellent quality. The representation of shells and seaweed was fashionable in the Momoyama period and especially in the early Edo period.

21 The scattered and harmonic ornamentation shows a striking contrast to the splendour of later inrö. Instead of the vivid colours the solemn harmony of black, gold and silver surfaces is effective here. 19 W. L. Behrens Collection. Catalogue by H. L. Joly. P. 2. London, 1913-14. No. 273, Pl. XIII; No. 173, Pl. XIX; No. 1229, Pl. L; No. 484, Pl. XXIX; and No. 274. 20 Strange: Op. cit. P. II. Pl. I, No. 1000 and Pl. II. No. 1026. 21 c, f. von Ragué: Geschichte der japanischen Lackkunst, p. 183,