Natsume (Japanese tea caddy) in urushi lacquer and gold, decorated with fans and flowers by Shikō Shibano

This natsume (the tin in which matcha powder is placed during the Japanese tea ceremony) by Shikō Shibano is a piece of exquisite craftsmanship. A light wooden container, entirely covered in deep black Japanese urushi lacquer, is decorated with a fan motif, each adorned with highly detailed floral designs set against a gold background. A very fine dusting of gold is applied to the black lacquer, becoming denser towards the base, while the interior is also dusted with gold, creating a precious contrast.

Decor and techniques
The decoration is executed according to the tradition of gold powder decoration ( maki-e ), combining several techniques. The backgrounds of the fans are entirely covered in gold, forming continuous flat areas against which the floral motifs stand out. These are executed in relief ( taka maki-e ) and low relief (kataji maki-e) , with petals, leaves, and clusters of flowers rendered with very fine and delicate modeling. The outlines of the fans and the uprights of their handles also feature low relief, reinforcing the structure of the motif. On one of the fans, a few mother-of-pearl ( raden ) inlays with bluish reflections are placed among the floral motifs. The black background of the natsume is enlivened by a nashiji (a type of decorative pattern ) scattered across the upper part, which gradually becomes denser towards the bottom until it forms a completely gold background. The interior of the body and lid is worked in a very fine grain nashiji ( konashiji ) background, of remarkable regularity, which completely covers the interior surface.

Form and use
This piece is a chu-natsume, a natsume used in the tea ceremony for serving light tea ( usucha ). This balanced, intermediate size is particularly well-suited to the varied uses of the chanoyu.

The craftsman
This natsume was crafted by Shikō Shibano, a master lacquerer born in 1944 in Ishikawa Prefecture. From a family of art dealers, he turned to lacquer at a young age and trained in maki-e in the Kaga lacquer tradition. His work is particularly renowned for its generous use of gold leaf and powder, the quality of its nashiji backgrounds, and the exquisite detail of its fan, floral, and landscape decorations, executed on natsume and other chanoyu utensils. His pieces hold a prominent place in the contemporary teaware market.

Presentation
This piece, which dates from the Heisei era (1989-2019), comes with a protective box made of paulownia wood ( kiribako ) closed with a cord ( sanadahimo ), bearing the name of the artist, his official seal and the title of the work.

Place of manufacture
Japan (Ishikawa Prefecture)

Dimensions
Diameter 7.2 cm - Height 7 cm

Weight
Natsume alone: ​​62 g
Natsume with boxes: 177 g

Materials
Wood, Japanese urushi lacquer, gold powder ( maki-e ), mother-of-pearl ( raden )

Period
Heisei Era (1989-2019)

Condition
Very good condition.