{"product_id":"bunkobako-boite-a-documents-japonaise-en-laque-urushi-kin-hirame-poudre-d-or-et-aogai-nuri-nacre-decor-kobushi-magnolia-de-musashigawa-shuzan","title":"Urushi lacquer bunkobako (Japanese document box) with kin hirame (gold powder) and aogai nuri (mother-of-pearl) decoration of kobushi (magnolia) by Musashigawa Shūzan","description":"\u003cp data-end=\"842\" data-start=\"194\"\u003eThis bunkobako (a large Japanese box used to store papers and precious objects) by Musashigawa Shūzan, a Takaoka lacquer artisan renowned for his mother-of-pearl work, illustrates a particularly rich approach to urushi lacquer. On a black background adorned with kin hirame (flat gold powder), a superb kobushi (magnolia) decoration unfolds, combining fine mother-of-pearl and sculpted reliefs, where light constantly plays with the surface. The quality of execution and the masterful combination of techniques give this piece a presence that is at once dense, luminous, and highly characteristic of contemporary Takaoka production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1636\" data-start=\"844\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Artisan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"856\" data-start=\"853\"\u003eThis box was created by Musashigawa Shūzan, the artist name of Musashigawa Yoshinori, born in 1949 in Takaoka. In 1972, he joined the family workshop and specialized in mother-of-pearl work, developing a practice combining aogai nuri, raden, and maki-e. Recognized as a traditional artisan in 1996, he subsequently received several distinctions for the quality of his work. The city of Takaoka, in Toyama Prefecture, is historically renowned for its artisanal know-how, particularly metalwork and lacquerware, and constitutes an important production center, though less known than other major regions of Japanese lacquer. This piece is part of this tradition, with particular attention paid to the effects of material and light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2042\" data-start=\"1638\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique and Decoration\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"1665\" data-start=\"1662\"\u003eThe background is made with kin hirame (flat gold powder), a technique consisting of dispersing fine gold particles evenly in the lacquer, producing a very fine luminous sprinkle that reveals the depth of the black. Unlike a denser nashiji, this treatment remains airy and creates a visual space in which the pattern can unfold with clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2473\" data-start=\"2044\"\u003eThe kobushi (magnolia) decoration is composed using several complementary techniques. The open flowers are made of white mother-of-pearl, while the buds and leaves use iridescent mother-of-pearl. The term aogai nuri here refers to particularly fine mother-of-pearl work, using very thinned fragments that allow light to play through the material, producing subtle and changing reflections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2908\" data-start=\"2475\"\u003eThe branches are executed in sabi-e, a technique that involves mixing lacquer with mineral powder to create a modeled material directly on the surface. This process allows the gnarled and irregular character of the wood to be rendered with a perceptible relief. This treatment, left without gold powdering, reinforces the contrast with the hirame background and highlights the luminosity of the mother-of-pearl. The inside of the box is black urushi lacquer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3082\" data-start=\"2910\"\u003eThe entire decoration thus relies on a balance between smooth surface and relief elements, between shine and matte, giving the composition great visual richness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3478\" data-start=\"3464\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePresentation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-is-only-node=\"\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-end=\"3605\" data-start=\"3480\"\u003eThis bunkobako comes with its wooden protective box signed by the artisan, along with his official seal and the name of the artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3108\" data-start=\"3084\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePractical Information\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3133\" data-start=\"3110\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlace of Manufacture\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"3117\" data-start=\"3114\"\u003eJapan, Takaoka\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3201\" data-start=\"3135\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"3148\" data-start=\"3145\"\u003eLength 31.3 cm - Width 21.9 cm - Height 7.6 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3216\" data-start=\"3203\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"3211\" data-start=\"3208\"\u003e2.2kg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3324\" data-start=\"3218\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterials\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"3230\" data-start=\"3227\"\u003eWood, urushi lacquer, kin hirame (flat gold powder), aogai nuri (fine mother-of-pearl), sabi e (relief)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3348\" data-start=\"3326\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"3336\" data-start=\"3333\"\u003eHeisei era (1989 - 2019)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3462\" data-start=\"3350\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"3362\" data-start=\"3359\"\u003eGood condition, wear consistent with age and use; scratches are present on the outer bottom of the box, invisible to the eye when the box is placed down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-is-only-node=\"\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-end=\"3605\" data-start=\"3480\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Les objets","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54036043432276,"sku":"LJ-CH-03-02","price":970.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0593\/3439\/4039\/files\/boite-laque-urushi-japonaise-artisanat-japon-decor-maki-e-or-zohico-suzuribako-bunkobako-tebako-atelier-ikiwa-25.jpg?v=1774631378","url":"https:\/\/www.atelierikiwa.com\/en\/products\/bunkobako-boite-a-documents-japonaise-en-laque-urushi-kin-hirame-poudre-d-or-et-aogai-nuri-nacre-decor-kobushi-magnolia-de-musashigawa-shuzan","provider":"Atelier Ikiwa","version":"1.0","type":"link"}