A Japanese circular Gold Lacquer box.

Edo Period circa 1800

This circular box with a fitted interior is decorated with abundant auspicious symbols. On its cover stands a proud rooster with finely detailed feathers and a magnificent red comb. The rooster itself is rendered in hira-maki-e , a technique where designs are painted on a wet lacquered surface in fine metal powders that are then polished to lie flat against the surface. The smooth gold circle resembles the sun: indeed, Japanese Shinto legend recalls that the rooster helped restore light to the world by luring the sun goddess Amaterasu out of her cave with his crowing.

Surrounding this scene, butterflies spread their wings over a nashiji background (pear-skin ground). Butterflies are associated with femininity while roosters symbolise masculinity: their dual presence therefore suggests harmony between yin and yang . Inside, a petite circular box bearing a chrysanthemum crest ( kikumon , associated with the Imperial Family) is nestled inside a trio of smoothly crafted boxes. These boxes show cresting waves, blushing momiji (red maple leaves) and a wintry tree. The contrast of gold, red and black makes for a dynamic, visually striking scene that evokes the passage of time through changing seasons.