Exquisitely rendered unique floral dials decorate the black lacquered sides and lid of this set of four stacking boxes enclosed in the original red-lacquered signed wooden storage box dating from the late Edo period. The set is 18.5 x 18.5 x 25 cm (7-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 10 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Nurudean Mitsuhide I (1802–1871) was a distinguished lacquer artist of the late Edo and early Meiji periods. Born in Matsue, he was known by several names and art names, including Sōichi, Mitsuhide, and Teigyokusai. His talent attracted the attention of the ninth lord of the Matsue domain, Matsudaira Naritaka, who granted him the honorary studio name Nurudean, by which he became widely known. Mitsuhide later traveled to Edo to study maki-e lacquer decoration under the renowned lacquer master Kajikawa Seisen, becoming part of the influential Kajikawa school tradition. Combining the refined techniques of Edo lacquer art with the cultural sophistication of the Matsue domain, Nurudean Mitsuhide established a highly respected lineage of lacquer artists whose works are celebrated for their elegant maki-e decoration and technical excellence.
