FLORA & FABLE

Front coverDetail of catalogue item 1

OppositeDetail of catalogue item 12

Back coverDetail of catalogue items 21, 19, 14

FLORA and FABLEOur relationship with the natural world has never been more under scrutiny than it is today. Everywhere, the pressures that human life is exerting on natural systems are of increasing concern. Pre-modern societies, however, typically found comfort in the goal of harmony with nature.

In Japan the symbolic use of plants as signifiers of human existence is first seen in 8th-century court poetry, and was consolidated in the visual and literary arts of the Heian court over the next 300 years. Imagery and allusion took plants to symbolise a wide range of emotions and the human condition in general. Depicting flowers and plants is an artistic tradition that has endured throughout the development of Japanese society, particularly harnessed to capturing the impermanence of life or defining the emotions through the passing of the seasons.

The pieces selected for inclusion in this catalogue focus on the artistic symbolism of plants. Dating from the 14th to 21st centuries, each embodies the artist’s ambition to capture important emotional qualities – ranging from the spiritual enlightenment of the lotus flower, to the sadness and loss associated with autumn as harbinger of winter.

I am particularly pleased to be showing the work of three rising contemporary artists – lacquerists Ando Saeko and Fujino Seiichiro, and ceramicist Inayoshi Osamu. Each is striving to capture an explicit harmony with nature through their work. While visual beauty underpins all the works, more profoundly all three want to provoke enquiry in the mind of the viewer. Their goal is to reignite traditional values – leading to greater ecological, social and cultural wellbeing – through a heightened empathy with the natural world.

Simon Pilling East Asian Art & Interiors

LAMP STANDNemuri todai

Nanbokucho period, 14th centuryColour on wooden panel, lacquer and metal28.3 (dia. panel) mounted on 79 x 27 cm. (stand)

Provenance: Matsunaga Yasuzaemon (Jian) collection

In this rare example of 14th-century painting is shown a group of three children. One young girl sits at a table where, with brush and suzuri, she is writing, her fan lying on the floor beside her. At the end of the table a second child has fallen asleep. Opposite, a third child is reading. All are depicted in coloured pigments against a white, reflective ground. The design, known as the ‘sleeping lamp stand’, adds a delightful, affectionate image to a light for reading and writing after dark. The children’s dress is decorated with the image of cherry blossom, which may further reference to the fleeting nature of the innocent beauty of childhood.

Practically, the object, with its white reflector, enhances the illumination of the oil lamp that would be placed on its central bronze ring.

The object has been discreetly adapted by its previous 20th-century owner to accept electric lighting. The owner was Matsunaga Jian (1875-1971), a leading industrialist and avid art collector, popularly known as the Electricity King due to

his key role in establishing Japan’s power industry. At the age of 60 he adopted the pseudonym Jian, taken from Zijian the famous disciple of Confucius. He increasingly devoted his time to the Tea Ceremony, in the company of important early 20th century tea masters Masuda Donno and Hara Sankei.

In 1947 part of his extensive art collection was donated to the Tokyo National Museum, which holds a comparable 13th-14th-century example of this lamp stand, designated as an Important Cultural Property.

Exhibited in association with the Shouun Gallery, Tokyo

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02 PAPER STORAGE BOXryoshibako

Nanbokucho period, 14th centuryGold makie, gilt metal fittings30.3 x 39.3 x 10.8 cm.

The Nanbokucho period, 1336-92, (the Period of Southern and Northern Courts) was a time of civil turmoil as the Kamakura regime collapsed and two rival courts – in Yoshino and Kyoto – fought for supremacy. The Kyoto faction triumphed under the Ashikaga shogun, heralding the start of the Muromachi period. Seeing this box today inevitably invites the viewer to speculate what events it has witnessed over its seven centuries – a treasured object passing from generation to generation, recording its passage through the years in the patina of age. For the Japanese, this quality - the ‘beauty of use’, yo no bi - adds richness to any object, evidencing its long and valued service.

The black colouring of early lacquer was achieved through steeping iron filings in solution. As is typical of early lacquer, time has softened this to a rich, dark, rust brown. Traces of gilding remain on the bronze fittings. The gold makie design depicts clumps of water lotus with buds rising and flowering above the plant’s large fan-shaped leaves. Geese fly overhead. The design continues around the four sides of the box, co-ordinating with the oversailing lid.

The quintessential Buddhist image of the lotus – revered for its ability to rise from shallow muddied waters to bloom into exquisite flower – suggests that this box could have been used for the storage of sutras,

though the large size makes it more probable that it was for paper.

The sacred lotus flower is a ubiquitous symbol in Buddhist temples – a metaphor for purity and enlightenment. Imagery of geese is similarly central to Buddhism, the gentle birds’ characteristics and habits being cited by Buddha as a metaphor for spiritual qualities. For example, the migratory nature of their life was seen to exemplify admirable detachment, and to this day the returning flights of geese is an emotive autumnal image in the Japanese arts.

Exhibited in association with the Shouun Gallery, Tokyo

03 WRITING BOXsuzuribako

Taisho/Early Showa period, 1920-40Gold, silver and coloured makie. Silver binding20 x 24.5 x 9.5 cm.

A pair of quail, uzura, exquisitely rendered in the togadashie lacquer technique, is set against a fine, graded, nashiji ground, possibly indicative of the millet seed with which the quail is frequently associated in Japanese imagery.

The design of their plumage is a brilliant exercise in patterning – standing between focused realism and abstract shape. Quail have three symbolic meanings for the Japanese.

They are emblematic of martial valour because of their fighting spirit; of autumn; and of poverty, because their colouration brings to mind tattered clothing1.

Opening the box reveals a bold, free-flowing autumnal setting of bushclover, hagi, with its reddish-purple blossom, combined with pampas grass, suzuki. The design, again rendered in togadashie, runs over the loose baseboard and

up the sides of the interior box. The composition is completed by a chased silver water dropper, suiteki.

Togadashie is one of the most demanding lacquer techniques. After having formed the design in sprinkled makie its craftsman will cover over the entire design in layers of lacquer that are then polished back to reveal the design below under a perfect, mirror-like finish.

1 Merrily Baird (Symbols of Japan, 2001)

04 COSMETIC BOX tebako

by ISOI Joshin (1883-1964)

Showa period, 1937-44Painted and engraved lacquers, zonsei nuri22.5 x 30 x 7 cm.Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako

A spectacular design of phoenix, ho-o, and three-clawed dragon, ryu, sparring together against a rich red evening sky of stylised clouds and waves. The subject matter – the two mythical creatures most closely associated with concepts of Japanese imperial authority – make this piece entirely of its time.

The style is pure Japanese deco – the attenuated forms of the creatures composed of a delicate, spiked engraved design enriched with vivid greens, reds, yellows and browns. For the phoenix they capture the mystical five-coloured tail feathers considered, first by the Chinese, to represent the Five Virtues of ideal behaviour in both rulers and gentlemen. These were benevolence, purity, propriety, wisdom and truth.

For the dragon, in traditional colours of blue-green, the design execution captures the detail of horns, whiskers, beard and claws set against a scaly body reflecting its watery origins. Around its neck is a tight, jewelled collar, and from its upper body writhe bold red flames.

The form of the artist’s signature – Takamatsu Seishoen Joshin - confirms its making in the late 1930s/early 1940s.

This technique of painted and engraved lacquer was Isoi Joshin’s supreme achievement, one that would lead to his designation as a Living National Treasures in 1956. He was a regular exhibitor at the Teiten and Shin-Bunten national art exhibitions from 1929, and he continued to exhibit at the Nitten after the Pacific War.

The tomokabo records that the first owner of this piece was named Shizuko, a resident of Takamatsu who subsequently moved to Tokyo.

05 AUTUMN GRASSES WRITING BOXAkigusa yami-makie suzuribako

by WAKAMIYA Takashi (b. 1964)

Heisei period, 2017Black lacquer with gold makie and shell inlay27 x 23 x 5 cmSigned. Signed and sealed tomobako

A work of quiet contemplation, focused on the melancholia of lengthening autumnal nights, where we see and ‘hear’ the almost invisible world that takes over as night falls. It is a work of demanding techniques.

Over a seido nuri ground that captures the quality of cast metal, is a delicate design of grasses in black on black, kuromaki-e, within which insects - grasshopper, crickets

and bee – are depicted. The overall design is raised in high gloss black takamakie to create a night-time scene, on the borders of visibility, that causes viewers to hold their breath for fear of disturbing the transitory scene.

Opening the box reveals, on the underside of the lid and set against a perfect, high-gloss black roiro ground, the depiction of a bell cricket. This insect is symbolic of early autumn and emblematic of martial values. It shimmers with brilliant shell, raden, inlay wings. The box itself, has a contrasting inlaid board with seido nuro finish holding the plain black suzuri , support framing for brushes, and a silver suiteki set in a golden halo representing the full moon that illuminates the scene.

The artist, Wakamiya Takashi, leads the Hikojyu Studio team of craftsmen in Wajima. Their work maintains the traditional skills associated with this most famous lacquer-making centre. Each is a master craftsperson skilled in the individual production stages of traditional lacquer ware.

Wakamiya is a passionate ambassador for the continuation of lacquer skills, stating:

‘Essential values have been passed down through the generations to contemporary Japanese society by learning about lacquer wares.

I consider it my duty and privilege to hand down our ancestors’ heart and wisdom to future generations through my works, and hopefully to revive our ancestors’ spirit in modern times.’

06 FLOWER VASEhana-ike

by YAMADA Akio

Showa period, 1950s/60sCarved coloured lacquers, choshitsu21 x 22.5(h) x 8 cm.Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako

Against a black ground of pure form, a depiction of budding and blossoming flowers emerges from a framework of variegated leaves. All is highly stylised and very much of its time in the post war Showa period. Its execution uses a range of lacquer techniques that collectively identify it as Sanuki ware from the area of Takamatsu, in present day Kagawa Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku. Sanuki ware is typically colourful, employing certain techniques that originated in China and Thailand, and that were first introduced to the area in the 1830s by Tamakaji Zokoku, when he was retained by the local daimyo family – the Matsudaira clan.

The bottle form has been created using dry lacquer, kanshitsu, the term applied to laying lacquer soaked cloths over a carved former. When cured, the former is removed to leave a lightweight organic base on which to begin the finishing lacquer processes. On this example, areas of multiple layers of yellow lacquer have been applied before finally over-lacquering the whole in black. Then, firstly outlining the design in

FIVE REISHI MUSHROOM CLUSTERmokucho goto zuishi

by TAKAHASHI Kanzan (1883-1942)

Showa period, 1930sColoured lacquers on carved wood32.5 x 15 x 8 cm.Signed. Signed & sealed tomobako

A carved wood, lacquered okimono in the form of the reishi, (lingzhi Chin.), fungus of immortality, made for placement in the tokonoma alcove, or on a scholar’s table,

In Nature, this mushroom can be found growing within the roots of ancient trees. Taoist belief associated its consumption with longevity and the effective treatment of a range of diseases. Its mythic status in eastern society might be compared to that of the western truffle – a rarity of enduring symbolic importance. In the Japanese arts it has also influenced the stylistic depiction of clouds in the arts, and the design of the Buddhist nyoi sceptre of authority.

Realistically carved and brilliantly coloured, this example is by Takamatsu lacquerware artist Takahashi Kanzan who, alongside future Living National Treasure Otomaru Kodo, studied under Ishi Keido (1877-1944).

Such carvings were his signature work and, at the time of his study he was considered the most talented of Keido’s students. Works by him are held in the Takamatsu City Museum.

sharp cut lines and incised carving, the cuts have been infilled with coloured lacquers, kinma technique. From there the artist has carved down through the areas of yellow to create subtly variegated flowers, choshitsu technique. Finally, the brownish purple leaves have been created using a painterly quality, zonsei technique.

Yamada, a Takamatsu student of Living National Treasure Otomaru Kodo, was active in the second half of the 20th century, exhibiting his work nationally both at the Nihon Dento Kogei and the Shin Kogeiten, where his work was awarded in 1988.

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08 FLOWER #77Core elements, Hana no hone

by FUJINO Seiichiro (b.1972)

Heisei period, 2018Coloured lacquers 82 x 73 (h) x 18 cm.Signed. Signed tomobako

Fujino, a masters graduate in urushi from the Kanazawa College of Art, has for many years explored the essence of the flower through his sculptural work. This piece, his most ambitious to date, epitomises his goal of tying surface characteristics to internal life. It is a supremely elegant form in which new, delicate and vulnerable life appears to spring from a hidden core of activity. To one side all is calm and beauty – new shoots of red lacquer emerging from the solid black centre. On the reverse is seen more evidence of the life forces at work. Red lacquer and metal foils cover an intense tangle of membranous sheets and tubes – the endoplasmic reticulum of any plant - alluding to the energy of growth and photosynthesis.

Fujino explains:‘In my work I am particularly attuned to the transparent qualities of lacquer and how this can be harnessed to give depth of vision into the core material. A solid body combined with projecting parts came into my mind - the bold and almost

sprouting form suggesting a hidden core, but with sufficient transparent depth, combined with the outer surface, to express the essence of a living material.’

The body of this work is carved from Japanese zelkova wood, while each of the sprouting projections is formed around a core metal rod to ensure strength. The surface finish is achieved using traditional Japanese lacquer techniques which, because of lacquer’s natural translucency, requires more than 30 applications.

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TEA BOWL IWAHAI RYUTEN #20Heavenly dragon rock goblet

by FUJINO Seiichiro (b.1972)

Heisei period, 2017Camphor kusuBlack and red lacquer with tinfoil14.5/18 ( dia.) x 11.2 cm.Signed. Signed tomobako

Fujino’s latest series of works, Iwahai Ryuten, explores the tea-bowl, chawan, - a vessel that expresses a central traditional element of Japanese life - the Way of Tea. He is working with this iconic item to focus on human intervention with nature in its creation and its use.

The works are first carved from a single piece of camphor wood, kusu - a massive evergreen hardwood indigenous to East Asia that is highly valued for its distinctive aroma and medicinal uses. The carving contrasts smooth with rough, in a range of

decorative textures that celebrate the act of cutting with the carver’s knife. The resultant complex form has a unique tactile quality that sits naturally in the hands, which can feel and use every irregularity. Finally, the application of many layers of black and coloured lacquers and tin foil inlays enhances and highlights the textures, adding colour and metallic reflection, in a rich and deep transparency that never eclipses the core material.

Here Tea Bowl #17 is paired with a powerful chequered display tray of

TEA BOWL IWAHAI RYUTEN #17Heavenly dragon rock goblet

by FUJINO Seiichiro (b.1972)

Heisei period, 2017Camphor kusuBlack and red lacquer with tinfoil11.5/12 ( dia.) x 11 cm.Signed. Signed tomobako

DISPLAY BOARD

by FUJINO Seiichiro (b.1972)

Heisei period, 2017Red lacquer, silver and tin leaf36.5 x 16 x 2.8 cm.Signed.

zelkova wood created using hemp cloth, red lacquers, and tin and silver leaf inlays.

The full depth of Fujino’s lacquer ware pieces reveals itself only slowly, prompting speculation regarding both intent and technique. He has expressed his goal as being ‘to capture the living quality of the materials used and make explicit the human act of processing the material into an utilitarian object’.

His prize-winning work is regularly exhibited across Japan.

died, and I experienced a moment of enlightenment. I perceived life and death simply by looking at the body parts, and determined that it must be possible to create a work of art with a sense of ‘life’ without giving it the actual shape of organisms that people are familiar with. “Gleam of Enlightenment” seeks to capture that ambition.

Life sparkles when it is filled with water – the major component of living cells – which acts as a solvent, a temperature buffer and enables metabolism. While Life is a synthesis of countless chemical reactions dependent on water, when the organism dies all this stops, and desiccation follows.

Vietnamese lacquer has long been the perfect material for my creative works. Its high transparency and glossiness naturally resembles water in living organisms. My current work further exploits that quality, giving the viewer a heightened feeling of obvious vitality even on abstract pieces, by working, not

12GLEAM OF ENLIGHTENMENT

by ANDO Saeko (b. 1968)

Heisei period, 2017Coloured lacquers and metal foils on acrylic panel120 x 60 x 0.8 cm.Signed

Since relocating her studio from Hanoi to Hoi An in 2016, Saeko has been immersed in the energy of Nature which is ‘so powerful here that I have become just one of the creatures in the middle of it. Using my experience and knowledge of natural lacquer and its chemical properties, I am turning it into colours, patterns, textures and shapes in order to conjure up new life.

One summer, I was sketching a cicada. Its beady eyes, velvety armour-like body, and wings sparkling like microscopic stained glass. Every part was - in shape, colour and texture - perfect for the function, and the small creature seemed more beautiful and efficient than anything created by modern technology. I thought “How can this intricate piece of art with a soul, rest on my fingers, make a really loud sound and fly freely?” A couple of hours later, I was confused to find my passion suddenly fading. But it wasn’t about me. It was the cicada. Within a few minutes, it turned grey, dry, dull and uninteresting as if a spell had transformed a sparkling gem into an empty shell. It

on the traditional wooden board substrate, but on transparent acrylic panels. This enables complete light penetration into the heart of the creative process. Textures and depth created by the layers of lacquer metamorphose into what could be considered part of a unknown organism. “Gleam of Enlightenment” is the visualised image of the inspiration which struck me that day. The light penetrating multiple layers of lacquer - dispersed into cells by the controlled application of oils - become accented with brilliant colours flooding out of a wall of silver leaf. The silver is oxidising as life retreats and, I hope, will become darker over time - perhaps even eroded, and start exposing the underlying layers of dark green. The parts with bright colours and transparent layers symbolise the life forces, while the green resembles oxidised bronze or copper, and what is now bright silver symbolises the organism’s transformation after life.’

Ando Saeko, July 2018

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13 14FRESH WATER JARmizusashi

by INAYOSHI Osamu (b.1976)

Heisei period, 2017Stoneware, shino18 (dia) x 18.5 cm.Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako

FRESH WATER JARmizusashi

by INAYOSHI Osamu (b.1976)

Heisei period, 2017Stoneware, oribe20 (dia) x 16 cm.Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako

Two spectacular mino ware fresh water jars, mizusashi, by rising star Inayoshi Osamu, a potter working out of Toyohashi in Aichi Province, where he set up his kiln in 2007. Innovative in both form and decoration, Inayoshi’s work nevertheless draws heavily on the tradition of Aichi Province’s atsumi ware dating back to Heian times. His tea ware is further influenced by the work of eccentric

tea-master, scholar and potter Kamiguchi Guro (1892-1970). Here we see a craftsman holding continuity in high regard while taking the art form into absolutely contemporary relevance.

Inayoshi’s work is hand built in solid form, using clay sources immediately adjacent to his kiln. The outer surfaces are worked and impressed

- using a variety of textured natural objects such as rocks and pine cones - before the whole is hollowed out. The resultant forms are highly tactile. Thereafter, the glazing process can be long and complex – up to seven separate firings to achieve the desired final effect.

In the first example, a rock-like form with quiet purple grey external finish is

enlivened by piercing flashes of gold. The effect is achieved by pushing feldspar granules into the clay. Melting in the firing, the resultant partially iron-glazed form is fired again having been wiped over with a gold lustre which concentrates on the feldspar while giving a lavender hue over the bare clay. Inside, this piece has a brilliant silver and blue glaze which surprises and delights.

The second example displays the brilliant greens and blues of the oribe glaze, running and pooling across its surface. As is evident by texture, this piece was fired using the traditional supports of seashell.

Inayoshi attributes his determination to create excellence in his work to a moment in 1999 when he saw his grandfather’s ashes being laid to rest

in an unremarkable urn that seemed entirely unworthy for its purpose. The self-evident resultant passion in his work has increasingly built a loyal Japanese following, and a flow of awards, through growing national exhibition.

15 16LARGE FOOTED DISH

by HAMADA Shoji (1894-1978)

Showa period, 1960sMashiko ware27.8 (dia.) x 4.6 cm.Signed, Shoji, and sealed, Sho, tomobako

‘Technique and skills must be absorbed and wrapped up and put away to become such an integral part of yourself that they will be revealed in your work without your thought.’ Hamada Shoji

A plate, in a signature organic design style for this most internationally celebrated Japanese potter, combining iron tenmoku glaze over persimmon kaki glaze beneath.

The life of Hamada Shoji, named a Living National Treasure in 1955, was one of dedication to the ideal of natural utilitarian beauty. Enrolled on the ceramic’s course of Tokyo Technical University in 1912, he went on to study under Itaya Hazan, next forming a lifelong friendship with Kawai Kanjiro and, perhaps most importantly for his future international reputation, travelled to England to work alongside Bernard Leach in the early 1920s. Returning to Japan, he studied Okinawan and Korean ceramics and, in 1926, founded

the Japanese Folk Art (Mingei) Movement with Yanagi Soetsu, Kawai and Leach.

In 1930 he moved to Mashiko – a historic pottery centre then solely associated with traditional utilitarian pieces. His innovative ideas for reinvigorated design and glazes were not welcome – “the people…had a tendency toward stubbornness. I was

LIDDED FOOD CONTAINERjikiro

by HORI Ichiro (b.1952)

Heisei period, late 20th centuryShino ware14 x 18 x 10 cm.Signed and sealed tomobako

‘Sometimes I think myself a coward, living like a hermit in a mountain village. Other than firing works twice a year, I remain lost in thought. This is not because I am overly preoccupied with designing each piece but rather, because I need extra time to reflect in order to allow each piece to emerge naturally. Nature is my reality.’ Hori Ichiro, 2000

Apprenticed under the legendary ceramicist Kato Kozo (b. 1935), Ichiro’s mastery of the shino technique here perfectly captures the spirit of a winter scene, where

branches of budding plum blossom are shown standing firm against falling snow. His preference for long, low-heat firings ensures that the clay’s deep red character emerges through the unctuous white feldspar glaze.

A graduate of Tajima Technical High School working in Gifu Prefecture, Ichiro exhibits his work widely both nationally and internationally. In 2002 he was awarded the prestigious Prefectural Governor’s Prize at the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition.

the object of much suspicion. I was constantly confronted by the police”. Slowly, initially through apprenticing himself to a local potter, he gained acceptance, established his own climbing kiln, and transformed Mashiko into an internationally recognised destination for potters and collectors.

17 18PADDLED KARATSU SOUTHERN STYLE SHIP’S BOTTLE Tataki karatsu nanban fundadokuri

by NAKAZATO Taroemon XIII (Houan) (1923-2009)

Heisei period, 1985 Karatsu ware20 dia. x 22.5 cm.Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako

Sea frets swirl across the surface of this karatsu piece in the form of a ship’s decanter. It is at once ancient and contemporary, its surface paddle-worked to recall the encrustation of shells and the covering of fishing nets - a rich mix of the spontaneous effects of its firing and the controlled input of its creator, Nakazato Taroemon XIII (Houan). Its signed base records the exact date of its creation, 20th August 1985. This was a very significant year for Houan, being that of the death of his father, Living National Treasure Taroemon XII.

The Nakazato family has an unbroken lineage back to the 16th century. Karatsu (China port) ware takes its name from its place of origin. Located in the southern island of Kyushu, it was historically the major entry point for foreign trade from China and Korea and, from here in the 1590s, Hideyoshi launched his ill-fated invasions of Korea. The influence of Korean ceramics has

provided a lasting legacy in the establishment of the karatsu ceramic tradition. Throughout the Edo period the Nakazato kiln received noble patronage but, as with many traditional artists, their fortunes suffered in the wake of the Meiji Restoration.

Houan’s father - Taroemon XII (1895-1985) – is credited with reviving the popularity of karatsu ware, and in

1976 was granted the designation of Living National Treasure. Houan was awarded Saga Prefecture’s equivalent of Living National Treasure in 1992. He had graduated from Tokyo Higher School of Arts & Technology in 1943, and first had work accepted into the Nitten in 1951. Receiving many national prizes throughout his career, examples of his work are held in the Kyoto National Museum and British Museum.

LARGE ASH-GLAZED DISHKaiyu ozara

by EZAKI Issei (1918-92)

Heisei period, 1970s Tokoname ware48.5 dia. x 8 cm.Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako

The transfixing presence of this piece derives from its bold, simple ash glazing over a massive, perfect form. The emerald-green glaze sweeps around the unglazed bowl, resting in a deep, jewel-like pool with flashes of blue. It is left to the viewer to interpret its meaning in Nature – a veil of water, sweeping clouds against a full moon, a comet shooting past from some distant solar system?

Ezaki was one of the greatest 20th-century natural ash masters. He revived the fortunes of tokoname ware, in the same way that Taroemon XII was reviving karatsu ware. Re-opening a derelict tokoname kiln site in the 1950s, he was able to recapture the historic quality and popularity of tokoname ware through diligent research of medieval techniques for application to contemporary design practice,

His work was regularly exhibited and awarded at the National Art Exhibition, Nitten, National Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Nihon Dento Kogeiten, Asahi Crafts Fair, Asahi Kogeiten, and the Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition, Gendai Nihon

Togeiten, among others. Had he not, for the last 10 years of his life, suffered debilitating illness, many consider that he would have been awarded Living National Treasure status.

19 20DISH

by YAZAWA Hiroaki (b. 1977)

Heisei period, 2018Kamakura boriChestnut wood, kuri30 (dia.) x 4 cm.Signed

A sweeping scene of scudding clouds over a pinnacled mountainous landscape rising from a wide flowing river is conjured up in this sublime contemporary work of kamakura-bori by emerging artist Yazawa Hiroaka.

The technique of kamakura-bori – lacquering over a carved base – dates back 700 years, originating as a simpler imitation of the intricately carved lacquer works first imported from Ming dynasty China in the 14th century.

Yazawa comes from a family of kamakura-bori craftsmen and, having grown up surrounded by utilitarian lacquer pieces for use in everyday life, produces pieces to be handled and used.

He works only with timber species native to Japan – here using Japanese chestnut, kuri. For this piece his original technique

STANDING DISHAogai koyo-hai

by MANABE Mitsuo (b.1912)

Showa period, 1950sGold leaf and coloured lacquers on raden groundWhite metal standing frame29.7 (dia.) x 10 cm.Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako

A shimmering bowl of water holds fallen russet red maple leaves, momiji, indicative of a nightime autumn scene captured under the implied light of a full moon.

Together with Spring’s cherry blossom, the Autumnal maple display

has long been Japan’s most beloved seasonal symbol. Maple leaves adrift in running water create a theme known as tatsutagawamon, named after the Tatsuta River in the Nara area, a site that early aristocrats chose for viewing the changing colours of the maple2.

The leaves lie softly on the water’s surface – the translucency of the lacquer capturing their gentle decay. The selection and execution of the raden inlays creates an exquisite piece of work with contrasting shimmering colours.

Born in Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Manabe worked

involves raising the wood’s grain through the application of flame, thereby releasing a spectacular landscape from within the wood. The creative process is thus a wonderful combination of design vision – showing how a carefully controlled process can reveal

alongside later Living National Treasures Isoi Joshin and Otomaru Kodo, to promote the lacquer arts of the region. Work by him was regularly exhibited nationally at the Teiten, Bunten and Nitten Exhibitions, and also selected for international showings, including the 1936 Sydney International Art Exposition. Later in his life he moved his studio to the area of Sagano in Kyoto.

2 Merrily Baird (Symbols of Japan, 2001)

the potential contained with the wood – combined with a degree of serendipity. Finally the grain is set and enhanced by the application of lacquer finishing coats, resulting in a richly textural detailed piece with allusion to a greater vision of Nature.

21 22INCENSE BOXkogo

Edo period, late 17th/early 18th centuryGold and silver makie7.1 (dia.) x 1.1 cm.

The Seven Grasses of Autumn, aki no nanakusa, epitomise Japan society’s fascination with seasonal change, and the characteristics of autumn in particular. First recorded in the Manyoshu poetry anthology of the 8th-century Nara period, the motif established itself as an enduring artistic theme which continues to the current day.

In this example, four plant types are selected – the bush clover, hagi, the pampas, suzuki, the mistflower, fujibakama, and the chrysanthemum, kiku. Although not one of the original grouping, the chrysanthemum, introduced from China, achieved symbolic importance in the Heian period as redolent of the virtues of endurance and integrity, and also of the reclusion of the gentleman literati. It became considered a definitive flower of autumn, and henceforth joined the grouping of grasses in artistic compositions.

Each grass evokes emotion – the hagi recalls fleeting loss- as used in the Tale of Genji at the deathbed of Lady Muraskai, the wind-tossed feathery white flowers of the suzuki evoke the autumnal moonlit sky,

while the fragrance of the delicate purple-tinged white flowers of the fujibakama, traditionally worn as a medicinal sachet, was poetically interpreted as the sole remaining memento of a departed lover.

A range of golden tones reflects the differing powders used to create contrast and definition in the delicate design, with highlights of cut gold and silver, kirikane. All is set against a nashiji ground, and the feeling of a moonlit scene is emphasised by the flattened circular form of the box.

PIPECASEkizerutsu

by IKEDA Keishin

Meiji/Taisho period, 1900-20 Gold, silver and coloured makie22 x 3 x 1.5 cm.Signed

The format of a smoker’s pipecase presents a specific challenge to any artist - to create a design of interest and beauty on a long narrow ground that can wrap around the front and reverse of the piece and make design ‘sense’ from all aspects.

This is an exquisitely executed example – the image of an energetic climbing vine with flower and bean pod. It is the work of Ikeda Keishin, pupil of Imperial Court Artist Ikeda Taishin, and exhibits the fine elegance and technical excellence associated with this school established by Shibata Zeshin.

A sharp precision is achieved in the high profile takamakie work - the organic, scrolling design perfectly contrasting with the simple straight-grained rich, brown, stained wood ground.

Photography: George OngDesign: Ros Holder, Redloh Designs

Simon PillingEast Asian Art & Interiors

PO BOX 40062 London N6 6XBT: +44 (0)20 8347 7946M: +44 (0)7946 577303simon@simonpilling.co.ukwww.simonpilling.co.uk