Inkstone Case with Design of Pampas Grass and Quail

This striking "lightning bolt" design is characteristic of a stunning style known as Kodai-ji lacquer, a ware famous for its sharply contrasting grounds of gold and black with floral patterns. The inkstone box is a writing case that once held brushes, paper, and ink. The use of autumnal miscanthus grass and moonflower vines by the Kodai-ji artists signaled a return to the native lyrical tradition and boldly decorative character of earlier Japanese arts.