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The only place the mythical phoenix will perch is in the paulownia tree. Along with the dragon, the bird is a symbol of imperial power in East Asia. This box––a container for an inkstone, brushes, and ink––is both functional and lavish, its dramatic effects achieved with a pear-skin ground decoration (<em>nashiji</em>) and sprinkled powder decoration in high relief (<em>takamaki-e</em>).
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 312aa3656c7393f2
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 285876
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "285876",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia",
"description": "The only place the mythical phoenix will perch is in the paulownia tree. Along with the dragon, the bird is a symbol of imperial power in East Asia. This box––a container for an inkstone, brushes, and ink––is both functional and lavish, its dramatic effects achieved with a pear-skin ground decoration (<em>nashiji</em>) and sprinkled powder decoration in high relief (<em>takamaki-e</em>).",
"date": "late 1500s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.34",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q79870513"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Lacquer"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.34/2016.34_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.34/2016.34_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.34/2016.34_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "4 x 20.5 x 23.5 cm (1 9/16 x 8 1/16 x 9 1/4 in.)",
"cul": [
"Japan, Momoyama period (1573–1615)"
],
"accession": "2016.34"
}
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Document identity
{
"localId": "285876",
"label": "Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "285876",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia",
"description": "The only place the mythical phoenix will perch is in the paulownia tree. Along with the dragon, the bird is a symbol of imperial power in East Asia. This box––a container for an inkstone, brushes, and ink––is both functional and lavish, its dramatic effects achieved with a pear-skin ground decoration (<em>nashiji</em>) and sprinkled powder decoration in high relief (<em>takamaki-e</em>).",
"date": "late 1500s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.34",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q79870513"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Lacquer"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.34/2016.34_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.34/2016.34_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.34/2016.34_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "4 x 20.5 x 23.5 cm (1 9/16 x 8 1/16 x 9 1/4 in.)",
"cul": [
"Japan, Momoyama period (1573–1615)"
],
"accession": "2016.34"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "Lacquer on wood with sprinkled gold and silver powder (maki-e) and gold and silver foil application",
"tombstone": "Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Phoenix in Paulownia (桐に鳳凰金銀蒔絵硯箱), late 1500s. Japan, Momoyama period (1573–1615). Lacquer on wood with sprinkled gold and silver powder (maki-e) and gold and silver foil application; 4 x 20.5 x 23.5 cm (1 9/16 x 8 1/16 x 9 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 2016.34",
"titleInOriginalLanguage": "桐に鳳凰金銀蒔絵硯箱",
"collection": "Japanese Art",
"didYouKnow": "In contrast to the bright, celebratory motifs on the exterior, the interior of the box invites a more reflective mood with its autumn moonlit sky over chrysanthemums.",
"citations": [
{
"citation": "\"New in the Galleries.” <em>Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine</em> 57, no. 1 (January/February 2017): Back cover.",
"page_number": "Reproduced and Mentioned: Back cover",
"url": "https://archive.org/details/CMAMM2017-01/page/n13/mode/2up"
},
{
"citation": "Vilbar, Sinéad. “Acquisition Highlights 2016: Japanese Art.” <em>Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine</em> vol. 57, no. 2 (March/April 2017): 18–19.",
"page_number": "Reproduced: pp. 5, 19; Mentioned: p. 19"
}
],
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.34",
"creditline": "Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 08:51:46.406000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.34/2016.34_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 285876,
"dept": "Japanese Art",
"coll": "Japanese Art",
"med": "Lacquer on wood with sprinkled gold and silver powder (maki-e) and gold and silver foil application",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
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