Japanese lacquer art

Lacquered objects are and have always been both a form of artistic expression and an integral part of everyday life in Japan. The origins of lacquerwork date back to the pre-Christian era. Whereas the Chinese lacquerware is famous for its variety of forms, the Japanese pieces stand out because of maki-e, a technique that has been continuously perfected since 9 A.D. This sophisticated technique involves sprinkling gold powder or, more seldom, silver powder through a fine tube onto the wet lacquer, which is usually black. The sprinkled picture may be flat or raised, or may be polished out of subsequently applied layers of lacquer. The impressive feature of these works is the harmonious interplay between their lustrous surfaces and the incandescent glow of the gold décor. Their technical perfection combined with their variety of forms (boxes and various appliances) gives them pride of place among the manifold treasures of the Museum für Lackkunst