by KADO Isaburo (1940 –2006)
Heisei period, early 2000s
Red and black lacquer
26.5 x 14.5 x 28 (h) cm
Signed. Original signed & sealed storage box
A beautifully elegant design that reinterprets the Japanese tiered box traditionally used for carrying and serving foods. Five oval tiers with rounded lid achieve a harmonious, balanced overall proportion through a strikingly deep and rich red lacquer finish. Framed by the subtle exposure of the black base layers beneath, the whole is quiet study of perfect form and finish, with a powerful architectural quality.
Kado Isaburo was one of the towering figures of contemporary lacquer-work, working in Wajima, where he had studied under a master of the chinkin (filled gold) technique - Hashimoto Tetsuhiro. His skills were quickly apparent and, at the age of 22, pieces by him were selected for inclusion in the Contemporary Japanese Arts and Crafts Exhibition, Nihon Gendai Kogei Bijitsu Ten and, shortly after, the prestigious exhibition - the Nitten. He was to receive grand prizes and other awards in both exhibitions.
By1980, however, he had become disillusioned with this work. Cutting all ties with the Nitten-related craft bodies, his focus took a new direction - to create modern, utilitarian pieces that reconnected with everyday life. No longer signing his work with his name, he adopted a ‘star’ system of signature. Starting with a three star signature - the first star denoting respect for the material used, the second star marking the tools used, and the third denoting the artist himself. A fourth star was added when he realised that a piece would only be truly complete when used, a fifth added respect for the environment while a sixth was used when he established a new studio in Wajima. Each tray of this work is signed with six stars, dating it to the last period of his working life, when technique and artistic vision had achieved a seemingly effortless perfection.