
Tobacco box
- Place of origin:
Japan (made)
- Date:
about 1850-1890 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Shibata Zeshin, born 1807 - died 1891 (artist)
- Materials and Techniques:
<i>Kanshitsu</i> (substrate made by fixing hemp over a mould with lacquer, often known as 'dry lacquer') covered in brown-black lacquer, with <i>seigaiha</i> ('blue sea wave', a combed wave lacquer technique in low relief), <i>takamaki-e</i> (a <i>maki-e</i> technique in which parts of the design can be raised by clay or charcoal powder) and <i>urushi-e</i> (painting on lacquer in lacquer) in black lacquer.
- Credit Line:
Alexander Gift
- Museum number:
W.187A-1916
- Gallery location:
In Storage
Zeshin was the most creative influence in the field of lacquer during the second half of the nineteenth century. Through an intensive study of past lacquer masterpieces, Zeshin developed an enormous interest in lacquer techniques. He perfected lacquer surfaces imitating other materials, such as bronze, ceramic and stone. He rediscovered how to produce seigaiha-nuri ('blue sea wave', a combed wave technique in low relief), a technique reputed to have been introduced by Seigai Kanshichi in the Genroku era (1688-1704).