Reading stand with butterflies on floral lozenge lattice
Place of OriginJapan
Dateapprox. 1800-1900
PeriodEdo period (1615-1868)
CultureJapanese
MaterialsLacquered wood with silver and gold makie and and mother-of-pearl inlay
DimensionsH. 22 1/16 in x W. 18 9/16 in x D. 11 1/2 in, H. 56 cm x 47.2 cm x 29.3 cm
Credit LineAcquisition made possible by the estate of Frank D. Stout, William and Midori Wedemeyer, and David and Mary Bromwell
Object number1999.1.a-.c
DepartmentJapanese Art
ClassificationsDecorative Arts
On View
Not on viewA reading stand is used to hold books or music scores while a person is reading or chanting. It is made of three parts that can be easily disassembled for storage or transportation. All the parts are lacquered and luxuriously decorated with sprinkled gold and silver flakes and raised gold designs. Geometric lozenge motifs, each containing a floral element, cover the entire ground, over which fly countless butterflies of various sizes. The most striking decorative feature of this stand is a pair of large openwork butterflies facing each other.
Subject
- butterfly
approx. 1800-1850
1800-1850
1600 - 1800
1800-1900
approx. 1950-1960
approx. 1950-1960