Inkstone box - Suzuribako

Japanese: 硯箱 - すずりばこ

A box that contains tools necessary for writing, such as an inkstone, a water dropper, a brush, ink, a knife, and an awl. It is usually made of wood and lacquered, but some are made of bare wood. Since ancient times, it has developed as furniture for the upper classes, such as aristocrats and samurai, and many are lavishly decorated with designs that match those of writing tables and writing paper boxes.

In Japan, writing with brush and ink became popular after the Nara period, but the details of how inkstones, brushes, etc. were organized and stored at that time are unknown. As far as is known today, the first documented appearance of an inkstone box is in the Engishiki, which was compiled in the early 10th century, and in its Daijokan style, there is a reference to a "red inkstone box." It is likely that it was decorated with vermilion or red oxide.

After that, as inkstone boxes occupied a central position in furnishings, their character as utensils became more tasteful and decorative. Some historical documents reveal the splendor of inkstone boxes from the Heian period, such as an inkstone box decorated with paulownia and bamboo motif lacquerware that matched other tools (Choshuuki, entry for October 21, 1119), an inkstone box with a lacquerware design of Kaifu Horai, a sketch by Fujiwara Takayoshi (Daiki Bekki, entry for March 28, 1147), and a layered inkstone box with lacquerware of cloud and bird crests (The Pillow Book). It is also believed that the basic structure of the inkstone box was established after the middle of the Heian period. In a scene from the Tale of Genji Illustrated Scroll, "Yugiri" (National Treasure, Gotoh Museum of Art), a large inkstone box is depicted with an inkstone, brushes, knife, etc. placed on a stand made of thin wood inside. When this is combined with the entry for December 2, 1155, in the Heihanki, which reads, "One inkstone box, with a tiled inkstone and a rosewood brush stand...", the shape of an early inkstone box, also known as a brush-rack style, emerges. In addition to this, the two-piece inkstone style, in which the inkstone is placed in the center with two hanging brackets on either side, also seems to have been used since ancient times, and the oldest existing inkstone boxes, the Naminouraden inkstone box (late Heian period, Important Cultural Property) and the Magakinikiku Maki-e Raden inkstone box (early Kamakura period, National Treasure, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine), both use this style.

In addition to the two styles mentioned above, there are various variations in the structure of the body, such as one with only one hanging piece placed on the right side of the body, one with a bottom board (sewer board) placed inside the body with a space large enough for an inkstone and water dropper, and even one with an inkstone and water dropper placed on the left side and a knife case carved into the right end, as seen in works by Koetsu and Korin. However, these are all new styles that appeared from the end of the Muromachi period through the early modern period.

[Masahide Komatsu]

Inkstone boxes seen in the Tale of Genji Illustrated Scroll
As Yugiri looks at the reply letter from Ochibamiya's mother, a large inkstone box without a lid can be seen inside, containing an inkstone, brushes, a small knife, and other items. "The Tale of Genji Illustrated Scroll," "Yugiri" (detail), copy owned by the National Diet Library .

Inkstone boxes seen in the Tale of Genji Illustrated Scroll

"Hashihime Maki-e Inkstone Box"
A style with the inkstone placed in the center. Edo period (18th century) 15.6 x 14.3 cm. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art .

"Hashihime Maki-e Inkstone Box"

"Woodcutter's Maki-e Inkstone Box"
Korin style. Tools (bottom photo) are, from left to right, a water dropper, an inkstone, and a small knife. Edo period (19th century). 25.1 x 23.5 cm. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art .

"Woodcutter's Maki-e Inkstone Box"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

硯を中心に水滴、筆、墨、小刀、錐(きり)など筆記に必要な道具類を収めた箱。普通は木製漆(うるし)塗だが、木地のまま仕立てたものもある。古くから貴族、武家など上層階級の調度として発達し、文台や料紙箱とそろいの意匠で豪華に飾られた作品も多い。

　日本で筆墨による書写が盛行するようになるのは奈良時代以降のことだが、当時の硯や筆などの整理、収納のようすについての詳細は不明。今日知られている限りでは、硯箱の文献上の初見は、10世紀初頭成立の『延喜式(えんぎしき)』で、その太政官(だいじょうかん)式に「丹硯箱」がみえる。おそらく朱か弁柄(べんがら)で塗って装飾したものであろう。

　その後、硯箱が調度のなかで主要な位置を占めるとともに、その器物としての性格も趣味的、装飾的な色彩の濃いものになっていく。他の道具類とそろいの桐竹文蒔絵(きりたけもんまきえ)で飾られた硯箱（『長秋記』元永(げんえい)2年〈1119〉10月21日条）、藤原隆能(たかよし)の下絵になる海賦蓬莱(かいふほうらい)の文様が描かれた蒔絵硯箱（『台記別記』久安(きゅうあん)3年〈1147〉3月28日条）、そして雲鳥紋の蒔絵による重(かさね)硯箱（枕草子(まくらのそうし)）など、いくつかの史料にみえる記載は、平安期硯箱の華麗な姿をしのばせるものである。また、硯箱の基本的な構造が定まったのも、この平安時代なかば以降のことと考えられる。『源氏物語絵巻』夕霧の一場面（国宝、五島美術館）には、身の内に細木を組んだ架台を設け、その上に硯や筆、小刀などを置いた大型の硯箱が描かれているが、これを『兵範記』久寿(きゅうじゅ)2年〈1155〉12月2日条の「硯筥一合　在瓦硯(がけん)　紫檀筆台……」という記載とあわせてみれば、筆架式ともいうべき初期の硯箱の形が浮かび上がってくる。またこのほかに、硯を中央に収め、その左右に懸子(かけご)を配する二枚懸子の形式も古くから用いられていたらしく、現存する硯箱のなかでもっとも製作年代のあがる波鵜螺鈿(なみにうらでん)硯箱（平安末期、重文）、籬菊(まがきにきく)蒔絵螺鈿硯箱（鎌倉初期、国宝、鶴岡八幡宮(つるがおかはちまんぐう)）は、いずれもこの形をとっている。

　なお、以上の2形式に加えて、懸子を1枚だけ身の右方に収めるもの、硯と水滴がはまるだけの空間をあけた敷板（下水板）を身の内に落とし込んだもの、さらに光悦・光琳(こうりん)系の作品にみられるように、左方に硯と水滴を配し、右端に刀子(とうす)入れを刳(く)ったものなど、身の構造にもさまざまなバリエーションがあるが、これらはみな室町時代の末から近世にかけて登場した新しい形式である。

［小松大秀］

『源氏物語絵巻』にみる硯箱
落葉宮の母君からの返書をみる夕霧の前には、内に硯や筆、小刀などを収めた蓋なしの大型の硯箱がみえる。『源氏物語絵巻』　「夕霧」（部分）　写国立国会図書館所蔵">

『源氏物語絵巻』にみる硯箱

「橋姫蒔絵硯箱」
硯を中央に収めた形式。江戸時代（18世紀）　15.6×14.3cmメトロポリタン美術館所蔵">

「橋姫蒔絵硯箱」

「樵夫蒔絵硯箱」
光琳様式。道具類（写真下）は手前左から、水滴、硯、小刀。江戸時代（19世紀）　25.1×23.5cmメトロポリタン美術館所蔵">

「樵夫蒔絵硯箱」

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