Miniature Inro with design of firewood-laden Boats on Waves.

Miniature Inro with design of firewood-laden Boats on Waves, Meiji period (1868-1912), 19th century, Japan, Gold maki-e with mother-of-pearl inlay on black lacquer; netsuke of hardwood with cloisonne, H.1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm); W. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm), Inro, Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891), copied from a design by Hon'ami Koetsu (Japanese, 1558-1637), The small boats that plied the misty waters of the Uji River often appear in Japanese classical literature as images of rusticity and human vulnerability. They are a potent and recurring motif in the later chapters of the Tale of Genji. (Photo by Sepia Times/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)