Inrō with Street Festival (obverse); People Watching a Puppet Show (reverse) 1750 - 1799

This is an Inrō, or traditional Japanese case for holding small objects, made by Tatsuke Takamasu in the late 18th century. It presents two lively scenes in contrasting registers. On one side, we see a street festival bustling with figures rendered in light colors against a stark black background, full of movement and playful chaos. On the reverse, a group of spectators watches a puppet show. What is striking is the structural arrangement, the way the figures are placed against the dark lacquer, creating a dynamic interplay between positive and negative space. The artist uses the limited color palette, mostly in shades of brown, red and cream, to create depth and contrast, drawing our eyes across the surface of the object. The arrangement is not merely decorative, it also serves to reinforce the semiotic codes of Japanese society. The figures, frozen in their observation or performance, act as signs, symbols of societal roles. This Inrō invites us to reflect on how we construct and perceive our cultural narratives.