KOZAN: A GOLD LACQUER FOUR-CASE INRO WITH URASHIMA TARO AND OTOHIME By Kozan, signed Kozan 光山 Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Of upright, rounded rectangular form, bearing a kinji ground, neatly decorated in iro-e takamaki-e, with some details in red, black, gold, or silver takamaki-e, depicting Otohime holding a fan, wearing voluminous robes and a dragon headdress, her young attendant at her side holding a large fan attached to a long staff, his chignon surmounted by a fugu fish. The reverse depicts Urashima Taro leaning against a straw basket, sleeping, a fishing rod behind him. The interior with nashijii and gold fundame edges. The underside with the signature KOZAN in gold lacquer. With a stained wood ojime of globular. HEIGHT 8.7 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, tiny losses to lacquer to edges. Provenance: From a private collection in southern France. According to legend Urashima Taro saved a little minogame (straw-raincoat turtle) from an ill fate, which subsequently turned out to be Otohime, the daughter of the dragon king . The next day a giant turtle appeared and brought Urashima to the underwater palace of the Dragon God. Urashima stayed there for a few days and received a box and was told not to open it. When he returned, everyone he knew was gone and everything had changed, so in his bewilderment he opened the box and suddenly turned into an old man. He then heard a whisper from the sea telling him he was told not to open the box, in it was his old age… Auction comparison: A related lacquer inro with metal-inlays by Kozan was sold at Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, 8 November 20122, London, lot 357 (sold for 5,000 GBP).