Large Lacquer Tray, Mother Of Pearl, Bone, Tortoise Shell

Exceptional tray inlaid with tortoiseshell, ivory, mother-of-pearl and bone. It represents the Tekkai sennin near a banana tree carrying a minogamous turtle on its shoulder and, attached to its belt, a double gourd. One kneeling child points to a branch of flowering camellia and another holds in his arms a wrapped koto and also points to the branches of camellia, auspicious symbol and which blooms as the Chinese New Year approaches, and chrysanthemums. The whole is on a background of carved bone basketry. The frame is in hira and taka maki-e lacquer on a gold fundame background with a floral decoration. All the characters have their gold-lacquered clothes, the faces, hands and feet are in very finely chiseled ivory. Period: Meiji (1868-1912). Dimensions: 76 x H56cm.