Painting on a shell

Museum number:
9-8201a,b
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21098201a@2cb
Alternate number:
3598 (previous number (Albert Bender’s number))
Accession number:
Acc.2403
Description:
Clamshells, 2 halves, each with domestic scene from Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) in polychrome waterbase paint and gold leaf on paper applied to interior; both scenes damaged bottom center; exteriors covered with chrysanthemum petal design in burnished white gesso; center back of (a) is gold-colored mum disc (center); center of (b) is green maple leaf; used in shell game (fide Mary and Ralph Hays, 1983). Attributed to 17-18th century, Tosa School style (fide Professor James Cahill, 1969). Surface loss due to paper sticker, probably placed there by University employee, prior to its receipt by LMA from Larry Dinnean, formerly UAM Curator. In the game of “shell matching,” 360 bivalve shells are used. “The two sides are separated and on the upper half is painted a portrait of a poet, on the mated shell are the lines of one of his poems. Other sets have only the poems inscribed within them, the first lines being on one half shell, the remaining lines on the other. The shells are divided among the players, and as the pictures or first lines are laid upon the mats, the holder of the corresponding poem places his shell near it. Some of the old kai awase sets were of great beauty and were stored in circular lacquer cases of fine workmanship. This game and the uta garuta [poem cards] naturally were played only by the cultured classes and were vehicles for the learning of the classics.” from The Japanese New Year’s Festival, Games and Pastimes by Helen C. Gunsaulus, Field Museum, 1923. Leaflet #11
Donor:
Albert M. Bender
Collection place:
Japan
Collector:
Albert M. Bender
Materials:
Gold (metal) and Paint (coating)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Paintings (visual works)
Accession date:
1968
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Loans:
S1983-1984 #22: Mills College (October 30, 1983–December 15, 1983)
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 2 titled Painting on a shell, accession number 9-8201a,b, described as Clamshells, 2 halves, each with domestic scene from Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) in polychrome waterbase paint and gold leaf on paper applied to interior; both scenes damaged bottom center; exteriors covered with chrysanthemum petal design in burnished white gesso; center back of (a) is gold-colored mum disc (center); center of (b) is green maple leaf; used in shell game (fide Mary and Ralph Hays, 1983). Attributed to 17-18th century, Tosa School style (fide Professor James Cahill, 1969). Surface loss due to paper sticker, probably placed there by University employee, prior to its receipt by LMA from Larry Dinnean, formerly UAM Curator. In the game of “shell matching,” 360 bivalve shells are used. “The two sides are separated and on the upper half is painted a portrait of a poet, on the mated shell are the lines of one of his poems. Other sets have only the poems inscribed within them, the first lines being on one half shell, the remaining lines on the other. The shells are divided among the players, and as the pictures or first lines are laid upon the mats, the holder of the corresponding poem places his shell near it. Some of the old kai awase sets were of great beauty and were stored in circular lacquer cases of fine workmanship. This game and the uta garuta [poem cards] naturally were played only by the cultured classes and were vehicles for the learning of the classics.” from The Japanese New Year’s Festival, Games and Pastimes by Helen C. Gunsaulus, Field Museum, 1923. Leaflet #11Hearst Museum object 2 of 2 titled Painting on a shell, accession number 9-8201a,b, described as Clamshells, 2 halves, each with domestic scene from Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) in polychrome waterbase paint and gold leaf on paper applied to interior; both scenes damaged bottom center; exteriors covered with chrysanthemum petal design in burnished white gesso; center back of (a) is gold-colored mum disc (center); center of (b) is green maple leaf; used in shell game (fide Mary and Ralph Hays, 1983). Attributed to 17-18th century, Tosa School style (fide Professor James Cahill, 1969). Surface loss due to paper sticker, probably placed there by University employee, prior to its receipt by LMA from Larry Dinnean, formerly UAM Curator. In the game of “shell matching,” 360 bivalve shells are used. “The two sides are separated and on the upper half is painted a portrait of a poet, on the mated shell are the lines of one of his poems. Other sets have only the poems inscribed within them, the first lines being on one half shell, the remaining lines on the other. The shells are divided among the players, and as the pictures or first lines are laid upon the mats, the holder of the corresponding poem places his shell near it. Some of the old kai awase sets were of great beauty and were stored in circular lacquer cases of fine workmanship. This game and the uta garuta [poem cards] naturally were played only by the cultured classes and were vehicles for the learning of the classics.” from The Japanese New Year’s Festival, Games and Pastimes by Helen C. Gunsaulus, Field Museum, 1923. Leaflet #11
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Painting on a shell, accession number 9-8201a,b, described as Clamshells, 2 halves, each with domestic scene from Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) in polychrome waterbase paint and gold leaf on paper applied to interior; both scenes damaged bottom center; exteriors covered with chrysanthemum petal design in burnished white gesso; center back of (a) is gold-colored mum disc (center); center of (b) is green maple leaf; used in shell game (fide Mary and Ralph Hays, 1983). Attributed to 17-18th century, Tosa School style (fide Professor James Cahill, 1969). Surface loss due to paper sticker, probably placed there by University employee, prior to its receipt by LMA from Larry Dinnean, formerly UAM Curator. In the game of “shell matching,” 360 bivalve shells are used. “The two sides are separated and on the upper half is painted a portrait of a poet, on the mated shell are the lines of one of his poems. Other sets have only the poems inscribed within them, the first lines being on one half shell, the remaining lines on the other. The shells are divided among the players, and as the pictures or first lines are laid upon the mats, the holder of the corresponding poem places his shell near it. Some of the old kai awase sets were of great beauty and were stored in circular lacquer cases of fine workmanship. This game and the uta garuta [poem cards] naturally were played only by the cultured classes and were vehicles for the learning of the classics.” from The Japanese New Year’s Festival, Games and Pastimes by Helen C. Gunsaulus, Field Museum, 1923. Leaflet #11Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Painting on a shell, accession number 9-8201a,b, described as Clamshells, 2 halves, each with domestic scene from Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) in polychrome waterbase paint and gold leaf on paper applied to interior; both scenes damaged bottom center; exteriors covered with chrysanthemum petal design in burnished white gesso; center back of (a) is gold-colored mum disc (center); center of (b) is green maple leaf; used in shell game (fide Mary and Ralph Hays, 1983). Attributed to 17-18th century, Tosa School style (fide Professor James Cahill, 1969). Surface loss due to paper sticker, probably placed there by University employee, prior to its receipt by LMA from Larry Dinnean, formerly UAM Curator. In the game of “shell matching,” 360 bivalve shells are used. “The two sides are separated and on the upper half is painted a portrait of a poet, on the mated shell are the lines of one of his poems. Other sets have only the poems inscribed within them, the first lines being on one half shell, the remaining lines on the other. The shells are divided among the players, and as the pictures or first lines are laid upon the mats, the holder of the corresponding poem places his shell near it. Some of the old kai awase sets were of great beauty and were stored in circular lacquer cases of fine workmanship. This game and the uta garuta [poem cards] naturally were played only by the cultured classes and were vehicles for the learning of the classics.” from The Japanese New Year’s Festival, Games and Pastimes by Helen C. Gunsaulus, Field Museum, 1923. Leaflet #11

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