Yamada Jokasai (active 19th century)


A four-case lacquer inroEdo period (1615-1868), 19th centuryOf rounded rectangular form, lacquered with a continuous design of a Chinese mountainous landscape with a waterfall, and an inkstone, brush and fan resting on a rocky ledge to one side, in gold, silver and slight coloured takamaki-e with gold foil and kirikane highlights, the interior of nashiji with kinji edges, signed Jo'o and with a kao; fitted with a hardstone bead ojime 3 9/16in (9.1cm) high
|The abandoned Chinese-style inkstone, brush and fan are probably a reference to the scholar-official Bao Zheng (999-1062) who later became a popular hero in drama and fiction. When posted to Duanzhou, an area famous for its inkstones, he discovered that previous magistrates had always collected far more than they were allowed to but when his own period of office was over he "went home without taking a single stone". It is uncertain when and how this story reached Japan, but printed books may well have played a part.