A lectern (kendai, or reading desk) made of wood and lacquer with a drawer at the base. Takamaki-e decoration depicts an eagle on a rocky promontory, surrounded by vegetation. With its head down and wings half-spread, it is preparing to take flight, perhaps to hunt its prey. The eagle is considered the king of birds. Its tail feathers are reputed to be the best feathers for an arrow. It is said that these were presented to the Imperial Court and to the Ise Shrine (Mie Prefecture), one of the holiest places in Shintoism. The kendai is a reading aid for books, poems, or musical scores. Its existence has been documented since the Nara period (710-794).
Japanese wood and lacquer kendai (lectern) with taka-maki-e decoration of an eagle about to take flight - Meiji era (1868-1912).
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