- Basin
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Basin
- Place of origin:
Japan (made)
- Date:
1600-1630 (made)
- Materials and Techniques:
Wood, covered in black lacquer, with gold hiramaki-e lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay
- Credit Line:
Presented by The Art Fund
- Museum number:
W.13-1957
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 56e, case 1
Object Type
Most Japanese export lacquer was made to order in forms suited to Western interiors and lifestyles. This object corresponds to the basin of a European metalwork basin and ewer set, which would be used for washing hands after dinner.
Time
Japanese lacquerware was first shipped to Europe during the late 16th century and was quite unlike anything that had been seen there before. It became extremely sought after and was imported in large numbers throughout the 17th century. Most European country houses and palaces possessed examples of Japanese export lacquer.
Design & Designing
Up until the 1620s export lacquer was produced in a distinctive style known as Namban. This was a manner of decoration that combined elements of Chinese, Korean and Gujurati work from India. It made extensive use of inlaid mother-of-pearl with gold and black lacquer. The decoration covered the entire surface and included the use of ornate borders, characteristics not found on lacquerware made for the home market in Japan. The Namban style is found both on objects for the foreign market and on religious paraphernalia used by Japanese Christians.
