DESCRIPTION: A set of five Japanese lacquer plates decorated with the classical Tatsuta River (竜田川) motif.
Tatsuta River, located in present-day Nara Prefecture, is one of the most famous autumn landscapes in Japanese culture. Since the Manyōshū (8th century) and later the Hyakunin Isshu, poets have described the river as being covered with drifting maple leaves carried by the current. The image of red leaves flowing across water became a lasting symbol of autumn in Japanese art and literature.
The design on these plates follows that tradition. A curved line represents the river's current, while scattered maple leaves evoke the quiet movement of autumn water.
The plates are finished in vermilion lacquer and decorated with gold maki-e, a traditional technique in which metallic powder is applied to lacquer to create decorative imagery.
Originally made as 銘々皿 (meimei-zara) small individual serving plates used in Japanese dining, they can also be used for sweets, small dishes, or as decorative objects.
The set comes with its original paulownia wood storage box. A quality label attached to the box confirms the plates are finished with urushi lacquer on a natural wood base, in accordance with Japanese household goods labeling standards.
