Keman (Altar Pendant)

Called keman in Japanese, this pair of metal objects functioned as an altar pendant that would have been hung from inside a Buddhist shrine. Originally natural flowers tied with string were used in this manner, but later these ritual objects were made of wood, cowhide, or as here, metal. Keman reflect their origins in the prominent tied sash motif and the open-work pattern of stylized flowers.

The presence of the wild hollyhock, the crest of the ruling Tokugawa clan in 16^th to 19th century Japan, places the pair within the Edo period, and the stylization of the floral motifs compares with lacquerware from the early 19^th century.