| > | | | | others varied in the density. However no pictures were |
| | | | formed. |
| All about how exquisite pictures were formed, | | | | Sprinkled, not painted! |
| surprisingly, by sprinkling techniques rather than being | | | | In the 18th century they invented and refined the idea |
| painted on beautiful antique Japanese lacquer, found in | | | | of sprinkled pictures, and these were used to great |
| 18th & 19th century works of art. | | | | effect in what are known as `Togadashi' pieces. They |
| Before I describe these unique and beautiful works of | | | | are easily identified, as the surface of the Lacquer is |
| art, exclusively Japanese, I feel that you need to know | | | | always perfectly smooth in Togadashi work. |
| more about Lacquer, the extraordinary medium that | | | | These designs and amazing pictures were created |
| was used. Only then will you fully appreciate these | | | | purely, by very skilfully pouring various grades of fine |
| brilliant creations. | | | | metal and pigment powders on to the wet Lacquer, so |
| For readers who are unfamiliar with old Japanese | | | | that they would sink in. There was no way of |
| Lacquer, I suspect you will be thinking of the typical | | | | correcting any errors! Extra layers of the background |
| modern Lacquer trays and bowls that are | | | | colour, normally black, would be added over the picture. |
| mass-produced. These items are very decorative, but | | | | Then by carefully polishing down until the picture |
| completely fail to compare with the magnificent earlier | | | | reappears, the top edges of the metal particles would |
| hand made works. | | | | be made to glisten from the polish, providing brilliance |
| From China to Japan | | | | impossible to achieve any other way. The last very |
| Lacquer is really the sap from a tree known as `Rhus | | | | thin coats would be of the purest clear Lacquer, |
| Vernicifera'. The Chinese were the first to discover | | | | providing the mirror like high gloss finish. |
| and use it, at least a century before Christ, when it | | | | Various shades of black were created, by charcoal |
| was used as a paint, and more often as a | | | | mixed with different quantities of silver powder, so that |
| preservative. It was a very effective preservative, as | | | | they could even simulate painted brush strokes. These |
| many pieces still exist from as far back as the Han | | | | powders were mainly used for black pictures on a |
| period 206BC, when Lacquer was very popular and in | | | | gold background, that one would never imagine were |
| extensive use. | | | | created by sprinkling techniques. What is also quite |
| The earliest known Japanese Lacquer dates back to | | | | remarkable, is the very fine degree of control in |
| about the 7th Century, but it was not until the 14th and | | | | shading that they were able to achieve. This meant |
| 15th century that the Japanese Lacquer works | | | | that far more sophisticated pictures could be created, |
| became so much more decorative. By then they had | | | | than had ever been seen before. |
| refined and created exceptional techniques, far finer | | | | There are three types of sprinkled picture techniques |
| and more beautiful than the Chinese lacquer that they | | | | in all and Togadashi, already described, is my favourite! |
| had simply originally copied. | | | | Another is `Hiramakie', which is where quite a thickly |
| The Chinese had used shades of black, brown, yellow, | | | | sprinkled gold powder is used, and the lacquer is raised |
| green, and mostly red or cinnabar Lacquer. They | | | | just a little above the background. As usual the surface |
| mainly favoured deep carving of the Lacquer, to form | | | | is polished and burnished, before the final clear layers, |
| the decoration, and produced some outstanding work. | | | | and has a very rich appearance. Lastly, there is |
| They often applied the colours in layers, so that once | | | | `Takamakie', which is again similar to Hiramakie, only it |
| carved, these colours would be revealed. One | | | | is in much higher relief. This thickness was achieved by |
| particular technique is known as `Guri' Lacquer: the | | | | building up and modelling the areas required in relief, |
| colours mostly red and black were built up in layers, | | | | with a combination of Lacquer and charcoal, before |
| and then a geometric or symmetrical pattern would be | | | | applying the gold powder layers. |
| carved with a deep `V' shaped cut, so that all these | | | | Highlights of pure gold |
| alternating layers would be revealed within the cuts. | | | | Many Lacquer artists made use of a combination of |
| The Chinese also painted, incised and inlaid Lacquer | | | | these techniques in a piece of work. Just to further |
| with iridescent pieces of shell, but these works were | | | | enrich these pictures, finely shaped tiny pieces of pure |
| treasured by the Japanese often more so, than by the | | | | gold, so small that it is hard to imagine how they were |
| Chinese. | | | | handled, are individually applied near the final surface to |
| To begin with all these methods were copied, but by | | | | create highlights. Frequently these are exactly matched |
| about the 15th century the Japanese had become, | | | | shapes, tiny squares or diamond pieces that are all so |
| justifiably, the unrivalled masters of the art! | | | | amazingly very accurately placed. |
| Lacquer was, quite rightly, highly valued for its lasting | | | | Togadashi Boxes |
| qualities and strength. A very high gloss could be | | | | One of our favourite examples of this type of work in |
| achieved, proving impervious to alcohol, acids and hot | | | | this collection is a fine Box that appears as two |
| liquids. It would also have appealed to the Zen | | | | overlapping boxes. One shows the figure of the |
| Buddhism ideals of `Yin and Yang’, as Lacquer | | | | swordsmith forging the sword `Little Fox', assisted by |
| appears to be so delicately beautiful and light in weight. | | | | the Fox Spirit in the guise of a woman; the other has |
| Yet, it is hard, impermeable and enduring. | | | | an overall design of a mass of gold and coloured |
| The preparation | | | | flowers. |
| It is a very difficult medium to work with, | | | | Looking closely at the gold centres of the flowers one |
| uncompromising, sticky, and time consuming. It had to | | | | can see how these consist of a number of very tiny |
| be strained to remove any impurities, and gently | | | | shaped flakes of gold; each flake has been carefully |
| heated to thicken, and evaporate any moisture | | | | placed by hand. |
| content. All the time it had to be kept in a dust free | | | | It also has a marvellous fitted tray just in gold |
| environment, and added to these difficulties, in its liquid | | | | Togadashi of three foxes running in a landscape with |
| form it gives off a poisonous gas! Strangely, it requires | | | | a really dream like quality. The border of the tray is |
| a damp humid atmosphere for it to harden. | | | | decorated in `Gyobu’, which is where each |
| It had to be applied in very thin layers, otherwise it runs, | | | | individual flake of gold has also been positioned by |
| and if too thick, will not harden at all but will just form a | | | | hand, rather than sprinkled. |
| skin. After each layer had hardened, all the time in a | | | | Another wonderful Box that is purely, fine Togadashi, |
| dust free area, it was carefully rubbed down before | | | | depicts a busy street market scene, and what more |
| another layer would be added. | | | | can I say, other than it is an outstanding piece of work! |
| An average piece consisted of a minimum of 30 | | | | Neither of these boxes is signed, but they are |
| layers, in order that there would not be a trace of the | | | | nevertheless, of the finest quality. To see the |
| wood base, or on larger pieces the hemp cloth applied | | | | photographs please use the link at the end of this |
| in the early layers, to help strengthen the wood. The | | | | article. These wonderful lacquer works feature on |
| Lacquer Artist would have taken over, only at this | | | | Japanese inro too (the subject of another article). |
| stage, to create the decoration by the addition of yet | | | | Modern works |
| even more layers. | | | | A word of warning when buying lacquer, it is important |
| The number of colours possible, due to chemical | | | | that the condition is both good and original. As there |
| reactions with pigments and the composition of | | | | are now some cleverly repaired pieces on the market, |
| Lacquer were limited. So Lacquer artists were still | | | | expert advice should always be obtained. |
| restricted and blue was a very rare colour. | | | | Fine Lacquer is made even today, and there are |
| It was the Japanese that developed the idea and the | | | | certain living traditional Lacquer artists who are held in |
| techniques of adding gold and silver to liven up the | | | | very high esteem in Japan. So much so, that some |
| decoration. Real gold and silver metals were used in | | | | have been designated as `Living National Treasures', |
| the form of foil, flakes, metal particles of various | | | | and their contemporary hand made Lacquer work is in |
| grades, as well as powders. All of these precious | | | | high demand and extremely expensive. |
| metals were brilliantly used to great advantage, | | | | I have seen an example, at a Lacquer study weekend |
| particularly in the late 18th and early 19th century. | | | | held at the V & A museum. A remarkable |
| The sprinkling of gold or silver metal particles had been | | | | modern box that combined thick clear Perspex with |
| used before and over a very long period, to brighten | | | | black Lacquer in a geometric design that really was |
| up the interiors. Even very early Lacquer works have | | | | very dramatic. Personally I still prefer the earlier works |
| `Nashiji' inside. This is where fine particles of gold have | | | | and for the cost of this modern box a very good |
| simply been sprinkled in to the Lacquer. Some were | | | | collection could be formed! |
| scattered unevenly, producing cloud effects, whilst | | | | |