Box of Rantai for Shikishi with Design in Kinma and Zonsei “Acacia Baileyana”

• Category
  Lacquerware
• Dimensions
  H 6.0 x W 27.0 x D 30.0 cm
• Year of creation
  2017
• Rarity
  Unique

Lacquered bamboo

Bamboo is ideal for weaving various forms. The bamboo is split into thin strips, peeled, and coated with multiple layers of lacquer. Pieces of basketry made from lacquered bamboo (known as rantai) are lightweight and durable.

Kinma

There are three basic variations of kinma based on the method used for cutting the motifs: line cutting, dot cutting, and a combination of the two. All three types use a special carving blade known as a kinma ken. Originally, kinma only consisted of motifs made of incised lines. However, by combining a variety of colored lacquers and cutting techniques, the art has lent itself to increasingly complex designs.

Zonsei

In zonsei lacquerwork, the outlines of colored motifs are engraved to produce additional decorative effects. Typically, one of two techniques is used. In the first, the artisan applies the motifs in colored lacquer before using a carving tool called a zonsei ken to incise the outlines of the design or add decorative line engravings. In the second, the artisan creates motifs using the kinma technique, which are then outlined or engraved in the same fashion. Zonsei, like carved lacquer (chōshitsu) and kinma, is a technique associated primarily with Takamatsu in Kagawa prefecture.

• The 64th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (2017)
• Selected