WAJIMA-NURI (LACQUERWARE)

Explanatory Notes

Name of the work:
Fleeting Moment

The sea of Wajima after sunset. Moonlight gently illuminates calmly moving waves. The moon is depicted by a dot-carving inlaid with gold, the moon’s backdrop is created by black urushi inlay, and the waves are depicted by fusen (emboss) inlay. The work is modern and delicate.

WAJIMA-NURI (LACQUERWARE)
HISTORY & FEATURES

There are legends about the origin of Wajima-nuri : it is said to have been introduced from China about 1,000 years ago, developed by a priest of Negoroji Temple in the early 15th century, or to have originated from wooden cups called goroku-wan produced in the village of Yanagida-mura. Whatever the origin, it is clear that there were lacquer coaters in Wajima in 1476. Jinoko powder (made from a natural sedimentary rock called diatomaceous earth), which strengthens lacquerware, was used in 1582 when the lord of the Kaga clan visited Wajima, and the technique of chinkin (sunken gold decoration) was perfected in the 18th century. The maki-e gold-relief technique was introduced from Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture in the early 19th century.
The beauty and high durability resulting from the sophisticated techniques used to make Wajima-nuri make it one of the outstanding lacquerwares of Japan.