Japanese Lacquer

As for most Japanese art forms, we have to look for their origin in China. However, excavations in the Saitama prefecture prove that there has been a lacquer culture in Japan since the early Jomon period (10000 - 250 B.C.). Lacquer was not only applied as a decoration, but also as a protection for wood and leather.  Some of the famous Dogu statues of the late Jomon period can be considered as the first art objects with lacquer decoration. In this same period there even existed an imperial lacquer department (Koan 392 - 291 B.C.). The lacquer colour scheme used at that time was restricted to black and red. The evolution during the Yayoi period (250 B.C. - 250) was not very important. Worth mentioning are the fine kogai and armour with lacquer coatings. The only colours used are still black and red. The introduction of a new colour, namely gold lacquer (kin urushi), took place in the Kofun period (250 - 552). Furthermore, the tomb culture becomes more and more important, not only to the sculpture, but also to the lacquer art.

The Buddhism brought an important change to the lacquer art during the Asuka period (552 - 645). Temples and sacerdotal garments were decorated with lacquer. Under the government of Shootoku Taishi (574 -622) the Chinese influence increases and leads to the introduction of the dry lacquer technique "kyoocho". One of the most important examples is the lacquer applied to the coffins of Shootoku and the emperor of Temmu. Another evolution during this period is the use of new colours, such as green and yellow.

The main breakthrough in lacquer technique took place in the Nara period (645 - 794) as a result of large political reforms. The policy of centralisation grouped the best lacquer workers into one department and the first guild originates in this period. New techniques, developed in China, were introduced to the lacquer art in Japan. Firstly, there was the use of nacre (raden, aogai), gold (kin) and silver (gin). The kingin-e technique (a typical Chinese technique) made it possible to actually paint with lacquer. Secondly, there was the technique of painting with a mixture of oil pigments on lacquer (yushoku). A third technique (one that existed even after the Nara period) is the Hyomon technique, where small sheets of gold and silver are applied to the lacquer.

A last evolution in lacquer art was the makie technique. Another technique in use, especially in sculpture art, was the famous dry lacquer technique "kanshitsu". The early Heian period (794 - 1185) is of minor importance to the lacquer art. Only in 894 an important change in lacquer art took place. The contact with China was temporary interrupted and the Japanese began to develop their own style. A lot of attention goes to arms and armour and also utensils are being decorated with lacquer. The most important techniques are makie, nashiji, aogai, ashide-e, togidashi, heijin-makie, aokin-fun and maki-bokashi. Typical Japanese are the sense of realism and the asymmetry in their work.

Both the military influence and the influence of the Zen Buddhism are of great importance during the Kamakura period (1185 - 1392, period between 1333 and 1392 is sometimes called Nambokucho). Sharp and contrasting shapes are the result. Also the development of the Noh theatre is worth mentioning. Technically, great progress has been made with the hira-maki and taka-maki, the kirigane and the togidashi techniques. With the Kamakura-bori technique the Japanese imitate the Chinese carved lacquer objects. Negoro-nuri also originates during this period. During the Muromachi period (1392 - 1573) the Zen Buddhism, new contacts with China and the tea ceremony were of great influence to the lacquer art. Carved lacquer techniques such as tsuishu, tsuikoku, hashikabori and guri are the Japanese adaptions of the Chinese choshitsu. Kamakura-bori was still popular. Gold and silver cut out sheet designs (kanagai) are typical for this period (not to confuse with Hyomon where the sheet design is covered with a layer of lacquer, which is rubbed off afterwards). The short Momoyama period (1573 - 1603), a period of civil wars, was rather harmful to the development of lacquer art. But soon hereafter, during the peaceful Edo period (1604 - 1868), lacquer art flourished again. Many techniques were developed and led to an artistic summit of lacquer art. The Meiji-period (1868 - 1912) was a period of decline. One exception is worth mentioning: the Imperial lacquer factory. This factory produced lacquer of superb quality.