previous image | Lords of the Samurai main exhibition | next image

Sake bottle and food box set (sagejū), 1600–1646
By Hosokawa Sansai (aka Tadaoki, 1563–1646)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Lacquered wood
Eisei-Bunko Museum, 6535
© Eisei Bunko, Japan.

This ingeniously conceived picnic set combines an eggplant-shaped sake flask, a food container, and a sake cup in the shape of an eggplant leaf, attached to the bottle stopper.

Warriors were expected to be highly cultured men, but the ability to create a piece as this would have required great patience and talent.

previous image | Lords of the Samurai main exhibition | next image