Accession Number1955/1.168
TitleDeep washbowl
Artist(s)JapaneseArtist NationalityJapanese (culture or style)Object Creation DateEarly 19th centuryMedium & Supportlacquered woodDimensions 6 in x 13 3/8 in (15.24 cm x 33.97 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Margaret Watson ParkerLabel copyAmong the upper-class samurai of Edo-period (1615–1867) Japan, marriages were negotiated between families to suit political or economic ends. Families invested considerable resources in the education and material comfort of their daughters, and lavish bridal trousseaus, once a luxury reserved for daughters of court aristocrats or the most powerful warlords, became a social necessity for any high-ranking samurai family.
A standard trousseau included a custom-made set of over forty items made of lacquered wood and adorned with the family crests of the bride and groom. The love for seasonal motifs is seen in a lively floral scroll, centered on a crest of stylized paulownia blossoms that meanders across every object in the trousseau. Two additional family crests are scattered among the scrolls, one a chrysanthemum and the other an abstract geometric design based on the character for a water well.
The lacquer box that served as the mirror stand usually houses a group of smaller cases that formed a women’s toilet set. The smaller cases hold combs, powders, brushes, and other grooming objects. The set was a necessary part of a bride’s dowry and would have been carried with a bamboo pole from her home to that of her future husband.
Subject matterA standard trousseau included a custom-made set of over forty items made of lacquered wood and adorned with the family crests of the bride and groom. The love for seasonal motifs is seen in a lively floral scroll, centered on a crest of stylized paulownia blossoms that meanders across every object in the trousseau. Two additional family crests are scattered among the scrolls, one a chrysanthemum and the other an abstract geometric design based on the character for a water well. This bowl was used in preparation of ohaguro (blackening teeth).
Physical DescriptionA rounded bowl with small stand underneath and two handles on either side. Gold covers the side of the handles and runs along the rim of the bowl. Wrapping around the outside of the bowl are gold floral patterns. Part of a bridal trousseau.
Primary Object Classification Decorative Arts Primary Object TypelacquerAdditional Object Classification(s)Wood and WoodcarvingCollection AreaAsianRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
bowls (vessels)
crests (motifs)
floral patterns
lacquer (coating)
marriage (social construct)