Writing Box with Illustrated Books

Writing Box with Illustrated Books

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The writing box (suzuri-bako) contains an inkstone and a water dropper, as well as an inner tray for writing implements. The lid is embellished with several illustrated characters that refer to the murmur of the river (see ill.). The frog is also associated with spring. In the kana preface of the Kokin wakashū by Ki no Tsurayuki, there is an often cited sentence: “The song of the warbler among the blossoms, the voice of the frog dwelling in the water—these teach us that every living creature sings.”

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Writing Box with Illustrated BooksWriting Box with Illustrated BooksWriting Box with Illustrated BooksWriting Box with Illustrated BooksWriting Box with Illustrated Books

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.