Box with chrysanthemums and flowing water

The motif of chrysanthemums floating in water, here executed in gold on a black lacquer ground, appears in a variety of Japanese artistic media, including bronzes, painting, lacquerware, and textiles. Introduced to Japan from China as early as the twelfth century, the motif is associated with longevity. Maki-e (literally “sprinkled picture”) designs are created by the application of gold, silver, and other metallic dust to a lacquer-painted design. It is a technique that has been used in Japan since ancient times.