Hot Autumn Grasses Rectangular Frame Decorative Accents

This striking frame is inspired by an early 17th-century Japanese lacquered wood tebako, a box for small personal items, in The Met collection. Autumnal flowers and grasses such as chrysanthemums, pampas grass, and bush clover embellish the lid, while the sides are adorned with stylized paulownia crests. Kyoto was the center of Japanese lacquer art by the late 16th century, when luxurious maki-e (“sprinkled picture”) decoration was more liberally applied to household objects that weren’t traditionally deemed worthy of such exquisite craftsmanship.