Lacquered Kyōdai, Featuring The Maru Ni Daki Myōga Family Crest Against A Clematis Background – Japan, Edo Period, 18th Century

Black-lacquered kyōdai decorated with the Maru ni Daki Myōga family crest against a background of clematis – Japan, Edo period, second half of the 18th century

This kyōdai (鏡台), a dressing table, is a remarkable example of ceremonial furniture from the Edo period. The set includes a cubic chest of drawers, a polished metal mirror simply resting on the stand, a compartmentalized cosmetic box, a small container, and two original brushes, exceptionally well-preserved since the 18th century.

The mirror, decorated with bamboo motifs and featuring a silvered surface designed to reflect both light and the image of the face, evokes the refined customs of Japanese aristocratic residences. In *The Tale of Genji* (*Genji Monogatari*), the mirror symbolizes the permanence of memory and attachment that transcends separation. In the chapter “Exile to Suma,” Genji confides in Murasaki:

みはかくて

さすらへぬとも

君があたり

さらぬ鏡の

かげははなれじ

Mi wa kakute

Sasuraenu to mo

Kimi ga atari

Saranu kagami no

Kage wa hanareji

“Though my body may wander far away, in your mirror,

my reflection will never leave you.”

The piece is decorated with black urushi lacquer featuring gold and silver maki-e designs, with brass hardware and pull knobs. The Maru ni Daki Myōga (丸に抱き茗荷) kamon—the emblems of the Inagaki family, daimyō of Mikawa Province and vassals of the Tokugawa shogunate—are scattered across all sides of the piece, amid a network of climbing clematis (tessen, 鉄線) vines. The large star-shaped flowers and slender stems of this tessen-karakusa motif reflect the virtuosity of the lacquer workshops of the second half of the 18th century.

Commissioned for a bridal trousseau (yomeiri dōgu), this kyōdai illustrates the practice of marking each piece of wedding furniture with the family crest, a sign of rank and lineage. The combination of the Inagaki kamon and the floral decoration reflects the daimyō’s taste for motifs that blend prestige with ornamental refinement.

The overall condition is good, with signs of wear and oxidation consistent with its age.

Dimensions of the piece: total height 67 cm; width 27.8 cm; depth 27.5 cm.