A Significant Japanese Coffer: A Multi-disciplinary Approach to Examining Late Sixteenth- — Early Seventeen-Century Export Urushi Ware

• A significant coffer in the Royal Swedish collection, inventory number HGK 406, is examined. The aim is to confirm or add new data concerning its age, provenance, and components. The scientific analyses include microscopy of cross and thin sections, wood species identification, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X−ray fluorescence microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, strontium isotope ratio measurement, and radiocarbon dating. The investigation also includes excerpting and examining historical documents to a lesser degree. The results show that the body wood is Thujopsis dolabrata BUN 1248, a strong indication of the coffer's Japanese origin. The urushi coating is made with sap harvested in Japan from the species Toxicodendron vernicifluum. The decorations include gold powder, red iron oxide, and cinnabar pigments. Radiocarbon dating supports the dating of the coffer, also based on its style, as of the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century. While all the results may not stand alone, the study shows that a methodology with a multidisciplinary approach can produce new knowledge and support or reject hypotheses arrived at from other kinds of sources.

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Historia och arkeologi -- Teknikhistoria (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- History and Archaeology -- History of Technology (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Annan humaniora -- Övrig annan humaniora (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Other Humanities -- Other Humanities not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Konstvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Art History (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

coffer

wood

urushiol

iron

mercury

gold

Japanese

asurano

urushi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)