65 - Tortoiseshell plate with Urushi lacquer and gold decoration using the Maki-e technique. Japan. Early Meiji Period. 1868–1880.

Tortoiseshell plate with Urushi lacquer and gold decoration using the Maki-e technique. Japan. Early Meiji Period. 1868–1880. It has some minor flaws. Diameter: 27.3 cm. A traditional Japanese Urushi lacquerware piece decorated with raised gold, known as Maki-e, specifically Takamaki-e, the raised or high-relief variant. For Urushi lacquering, the base is not usually genuine tortoiseshell. In most traditional lacquerware, fine wood, such as cypress or cedar, is used instead, coated with layers of natural sap from the Toxucodendron vernicifluum tree (Urushi lacquer), although imitations using materials such as shell or tortoiseshell (bekko) were historically employed. As we continue to explore this technique, we visit the Museums Victoria website, which states: “Maki-e lacquering is a Japanese technique of sprinkling fine gold or silver powder into a design laid out in lacquer, using small brushes or bamboo tubes to create fine, often highly detailed and intricate designs. Other metals could be used to achieve different colors, such as brass, copper, platinum, pewter, and other alloys. The technique was first developed during the Heian period (794–1185) and flourished as a decorative style during the Edo period (1600–1868).” Our piece bears a resemblance to the tortoiseshell plate held by Museums Victoria in Australia (inv. HT 22653), which employs the same technique and dates from the same Meiji period. Referring to their piece, the museum states: “The beautiful decorative work of maki-e lacquerware, combined with the growing interest in Japanese culture in the West, made items such as this incredibly popular in export markets.” The crane depicted on our plate is a classic Japanese symbol of longevity, fidelity, and good fortune. Bibliographic reference: - Museums Victoria. (n.d.). “Dish—Maki-e Lacquer Tortoiseshell Plate.”https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1453452