Heisei period, 1950-60
Carved coloured lacquer, choshitsu
24.3 (dia.) x 11.5 cm Unsigned.
A quiet, elegant design of water flowers trails around the body of this sweet container. The flowers – their petals sharply delineated with crisp carving and presenting a brown, kawarinuri surface that has been scored and stippled to create the individual veining - are set against a swirling ground of carved white lacquer layers. This design motif was a favourite subject in the work of Otamaru Kodo, who in 1954 was designated a Living National Treasure for his carved lacquer work. The quality of this piece, although unsigned, points to it being the work of a pupil. The inner surfaces and inset lid are of rich, black roiro finish.
Unlike makie, where a design is built up through repeated partial applications of lacquer and pigment, carved lacquer is a reductive process whereby, in anticipation of the final design intent, a series of complete layers is applied over the base to then be carved through. The process of carving thereby reveals the design. Here the base layers are chiefly whites, but also incorporating bold red, yellow and blacks.