Tiered Box (Jūbako) with Design of Boats and Plovers

Art Historical Context

This exquisite tiered box, known as a *jūbako*, was crafted by Shibata Zin, one of Japan's foremost lacquer artists of the late 19th century. Dating to the Meiji period (186–1912), a time when Japan rapidly modernized while preserving its artistic traditions, this functional yet opulent object served as stacked food containers for special occasions like New Year's feasts or picnics. Zeshin, renowned for elevating lacquerware to fine art, masterfully depicted boats gliding on waves alongside plovers—birds symbolizing marital fidelity and seasonal change in Japanese culture—evoking serene coastal scenes. The box's surface gleams with gold *maki-e* technique, where powdered gold is sprinkled onto wet lacquer and polished to a lustrous finish over black and brown grounds. Delicate mother-of-pearl inlays add shimmering highlights to the birds and waves, while pewter accents enhance depth. Measuring about 9.5 by 9.4 inches at the base and stacking to 16.5 inches tall, its compact tiers showcase Zeshin's innovative realism, blending traditional *urushi* lacquer with subtle Western influences amid Meiji-era export arts. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department, this gift from Florence and Herbert Irving exemplifies how *jūbako* transcended utility, becoming coveted collector's items that highlight Japan's enduring mastery of lacquer as a medium rivaling painting or sculpture.

About the Artist

Shibata Zeshin · 1807–1891

Japanese, 1807–1891