Natsume (tea caddy) lacquer and gold, hanamaru decoration by Shunsai Maehata III

A superb piece by Shunsai Maehata III (born in 1964), third of the name within a renowned line of Ishikawa, this large natsume (ōnatsume), used during the tea ceremony to serve usucha (light whipped tea), is handcrafted in turned wood and covered with urushi lacquer. The decoration, of exceptional finesse, unfolds in hanamaru, flowery circles that order the surface in a constellation of extremely precise and detailed emblems. The motifs are laid flat and in slight relief by a maki-e combining hiramaki-e and taka maki-e, with passages in togidashi maki-e. Some circles rest on nashiji backgrounds of a very fine grain, punctuated by inlays of small gold squares in kirikane. Beneath the decoration is a very fine-grained togidashi-nashiji (konashiji) background, entirely sown with gold particles which, polished to roiro ( mirror finish), blend into the depth of black and create a sober, almost nocturnal shine. The interior is covered with a beautiful glossy black lacquer.

The hanamaru brings together several flowers and birds emblematic of Japanese culture. The ume evokes renewal and tenacity in the heart of winter. The chrysanthemum, the imperial flower, embodies longevity. The camellia, closely linked to the way of tea, suggests elegance and restraint. The peony refers to happy abundance. The iris, associated with seasonal protections, expresses righteousness. The sakura celebrate the brilliance of spring and the awareness of the passing of time. Birds cross certain circles as an omen of joy and good fortune. The whole composes a wish for harmony, continuity, and gratitude towards nature throughout the seasons.

This natsume was made by the artisan Shunsai Maehata III, heir to the Maehata house. Born in 1964 in Ishikawa Prefecture, he trained in Wajima from 1982, then took over the Shunsai name in 1985, perpetuating the family tradition of Kaga maki-e. Son of Maehata Gahō (Shunsai II, born in 1936), he developed a demanding work around tea utensils, with an ornamental vocabulary marked by great precision of drawing, the combined use of maki-e techniques and research on supports and surface effects inherited from the Wajima school. His works have been the subject of presentations in Japan and abroad, attesting to a practice firmly anchored in the transmission of the workshop.

This is a unique example from the Heisei era (1989–2019). The piece is accompanied by a protective box made of paulownia wood (kiribako) closed with a sanadahimo cord, bearing the artist's name, seal, and the title of the work, as well as a second protective box made of red lacquered wood also closed with a cord. A protective cloth (tomonuno) bearing the artist's seal, as well as an information document (shiori) detailing his profile, complete the set and guarantee its authenticity.