5 Cases Inro, Hara Yoyusai 1769-1845, Japan, Edo Period

5-cases inro, Hara Yoyusai 1769-1845, Japan, Edo period A five-panel inrō signed Yōyūsai, made in the first half of the 19th century by Hara Yōyūsai (1769–1845), a lacquer master of the Edo period. This refined 8 cm high piece is in keeping with the tradition of inrō art, combining technical virtuosity with a delicate narrative sensibility. The exterior is decorated with a lively scene, probably inspired by The Tale of Genji, executed in gold and silver lacquer using the complex techniques of takamaki-e (raised lacquer) and hiramaki-e (flat lacquer), on a deep brown ground with golden highlights. The decoration extends seamlessly across the five compartments, articulating a fluid landscape: architectural elements, finely chiseled vegetation, figures moving in an aristocratic garden, enveloped in a poetic breath. Every detail, from the veins of the bamboo to the fold of a kimono, is meticulously modeled. The reverse reveals a composition en suite, showing two figures near a palanquin on a path lined with pine trees, one of them smoking a pipe. The signature Yōyūsai is inscribed in gold lacquer on the base. Hara Yōyūsai was one of the greatest lacquer artists of his time, active in Kyoto and Tokyo, celebrated for his elegant compositions and subtly textured backgrounds. A spiritual heir to the Kōami tradition, he knew how to combine classical rigor and decorative inventions, lastingly influencing 19th-century aesthetics. His works are held in the collections of the Tokyo National Museum in Boston and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The interior of the inrō is entirely made of nashiji lacquer, a technique that involves sprinkling gold particles onto a lacquered background, evoking the brilliance of a pear. The cord is mounted with an amber-colored blown glass ojime, whose soft transparency complements the warmth of the gold. A rare piece, due to the complexity of its decoration and the quality of its execution, for discerning collectors and lovers of classical Japanese art.