Type: MS (Menuki Single)
This single menuki depicts two seated or reclining figures in a small river boat, executed in mixed-metal construction with gilt highlights to the garments, faces, oar, and prow elements. The boat is modeled with a flat bottom and high prow, with fine chisel work employed to define the planks and lattice structure of the stern. The figures wear layered robes and headgear, one holding the oar across the gunwale while the other reclines with a relaxed posture. The forms are compact and narrative in nature, evoking Edo-period popular genre scenes of travelers, ferrymen, or pleasure outings. The reverse shows a single mounting post and a recessed cavity with oxidation consistent with age. Condition is still excellent and workmanship is high quality.
