Incense Box
2011 (made), 2011 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a classic example of the extraordinary workmanship of one of Japan's most inventive and polymathic lacquer artists. Originally from Tokyo, Yamamura Shin'ya (1960-) lives and works in Kanazawa, where he has taught in the Crafts Department of Kanazawa University of Art since 1986. He specialises in small-scale pieces on which he uses, as on this work, a wide range of lacquer decoration techniques, many of them derived from or inspired by the rich variety of effects found on sword scabbards made during the Edo period (1615-1868), during which Kanazawa was the castle town of the wealthy Maeda of feudal lords. Because of the artistic patronage of the Maeda family, Kanazawa became a major centre for high quality artisanal production, including that of lacquerware. This heritage is reflected in the work of many contemporary Kanazawa-based lacquer makers, among whom Yamamura is a particularly inspirational figure.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Cypress wood, carved, lacquered and decorated with mother-of-pearl |
| Brief description | Japan, modern crafts, studio, lacquer; Incense box, carved and lacquered Japanese cypress (hinoki) with all-over decoration in mother-of-pearl (abalone) on top of lid, by Yamamura Shin'ya (1960-), Kanazawa, Japan, 2011; with a wooden storage box and wrapper |
| Physical description | Incense box in a rounded tapering form determined by the shape of the piece of mother-of-pearl that covers the top of its lid. The substrate of Japanese cypress (hinoki) was carved from the block to echo the shape of the piece of shell. Various lacquering techniques have been used to decorate the sides and interior. With a wooden storage box and wrapper. |
| Style | |
| Gallery label | 33. Incense box
2011
Japanese cypress wood, lacquer (urushi) and mother-of-pearl
Yamamura Shin’ya (born 1960)
Kanazawa
Museum no. FE.192-2011
[Toshiba Gallery, case 12, Tea Drinking, October 2019 rotation](24/09/2019) |
| Summary | This is a classic example of the extraordinary workmanship of one of Japan's most inventive and polymathic lacquer artists. Originally from Tokyo, Yamamura Shin'ya (1960-) lives and works in Kanazawa, where he has taught in the Crafts Department of Kanazawa University of Art since 1986. He specialises in small-scale pieces on which he uses, as on this work, a wide range of lacquer decoration techniques, many of them derived from or inspired by the rich variety of effects found on sword scabbards made during the Edo period (1615-1868), during which Kanazawa was the castle town of the wealthy Maeda of feudal lords. Because of the artistic patronage of the Maeda family, Kanazawa became a major centre for high quality artisanal production, including that of lacquerware. This heritage is reflected in the work of many contemporary Kanazawa-based lacquer makers, among whom Yamamura is a particularly inspirational figure. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.192-2011 |
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| Record created | July 12, 2011 |
| Record URL |
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