Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891)
circa 1860
A flattened wood square serving as a silk spool (itomaki), red thread wrapped tightly around it in one direction and gold in the other, the loose end of the thread trailing diagonally across the latter. The subject references the Tanabata festival and enduring love. The exposed wood is richly lacquered in mokume design, the thread in takamakie.
