LONDON.- A rare and important early 20th century cosmetic box by Asahi Gyokuzan is one of the highlights of the Fine Japanese Art sale, taking place on the 12th May at Bonhams, New Bond Street. Asahi Gyokuzan was a designated Imperial Court Artist and one of the most famous and influential carvers in Japan during the Meiji Period (1868-1912). The cosmetic box made of white paulownia wood, estimated to sell for £200,000 – 250,000, represents the hallmark of the finest Japanese art: the depiction of the transience of nature. The decoration both on the outside and inside of the box encapsulates the changing seasons. Asahi Gyokuzan deliberately used the medium of a box, since it can be opened and closed, and in doing so creates a series of stories and movement: the stages of the flowering Chrysanthemums representing Autumn, the flying birds on the inside of the box, and the light droplets of water, inlaid in mother-of-pearl.