Collection
Bird Cage and Cage Case
| Bird Cage and Cage Case |
| Cage height 37.4 cm, width 28.0 cm, depth 35.8 cm; case height 50.2 cm, width 35.7 cm, depth 52.8 cm; Edo period, 18th century; Gift of the Ii Family |
This is an exquisite, meticulously constructed set consisting of a red-lacquered bird cage made of thin strips of bamboo and a black-lacquered cage case (kago-oke). The cage case is designed with a double cover for use in uguisu warbler singing competitions. When the outer cover was removed, light would shine into the cage, causing the warblers to sing. The outer cover is decorated with a mother-of-pearl inlaid peony scroll design, and the lower panel of the inner cover features a natural landscape depicted in maki-e.
