Framed lacquer panel; Japan, modern crafts, studio, lacquer; Woo, Japan, writing accessories, wood; Wakamiya Takashi

This removable rectangular lacquer panel, held in place by four movable pegs on the back, is held within a frame which falls in a gentle curve towards the middle, where there is a slight upward lip. The panel is of wood covered in glossy black roiro lacquer with gold, green and red hiramaki-e (low relief), takamaki-e (high relief), togidashi-e (completely flat) and nashi-ji (pear-skin ground) lacquer, inlaid with gold kirikane (cut gold squares). In the bottom right of the panel, the figures of Prince Genji and Lady Aoi no Ue are depicted seated at the edge of a building open to a verandah; the details of the upper part of Genji's face and hat being partially obscured by a blind which is only partly raised. To their left a stream winds round a pine tree and blossoming prunus, while a small rock is depicted in the foreground and another rock by the posts of a small bridge is in the extreme left. Thin lines of mist are visible around the middle of the scene, while one hangs over the roof. The upper half of the composition is completely undecorated.

The frame is of lacquer imitating the rough surface of another material, possibly iron, with additional decoration on the left hand-side in black, gold, copper and red lacquer togidashi-e (completely flat) lacquer. The left-hand side of the frame depicts a woman wearing an outer robe of wheels in running water, with an inner robe of flower heads on a geometric ground. Her pallid face, with closed eyes and a knotted brow, is portrayed with an unreal, absorbed expression, while she is sucking a long strand of hair. This represents Lady Rokujo, Genji's mistress of high birth whom he does not treat with the respect due to her. As a result she becomes a possessing spirit and is thought to be behind the possession and death of Aoi, Genji's first principal wife. In this composition, Genji and Aoi are depicted in the lower right, while Lady Rokujo. The position of Genji and Aoi as humans and Lady Rokujo as a spirit possession is emphasised here by Genji and his wife in the lower right corner and Rokujo effectively beyond the scene looming large on the ocupies the entire left hand-side of the frame, looking diown on them from the top left. The depiction of her robes also continue down the side of the frame.

The reverse of the panel and the wooden dowels are covered in glossy black lacquer, while the reverse of the frame is in black lacquer covering an uneven, loose weave textile surface. Fixed to the back are also two metal attaching points, through which brown cord is strung for hanging the panel and frame. A piece of paper with an inscription is pasted over the back of much of the panel and adjoining areas of the frame.

Given by Noriko Saito and Natsuo Miyashita

This framed lacquer panel is an example of a non-traditional lacquer form by a contemporary lacquer artist, Takashi Wakamiya (1964- ), who works in traditional techniques in a wide variety of object types. Through working in the traditional idiom, Wakamiya is helping to revive and preserve lacquer styles of the past. The framed lacquer panel was introduced from the West in the late 19th century and this form has been taken to new heights by Wakamiya. In this example he uses both the frame and the panel as a vital part of the composition.

The subject of this work derives from the early 11th century classic of Japanese literature, Genji monogatari (Tale of Genji). The frame is decorated with Lady Rokujo, Genji’s mistress of high birth, whom he does not treat with the respect due to her. She developed a fiery jealousy towards Aoi no Ue, Genji’s wife, who is depicted on the panel. Lady Rokujo turned herself into a living spirit that possessed Aoi no Ue and resulted in her death. The use of the frame and panel for each of the two women cleverly separates the real and the spirit world. This is further emphasised by a contrast of lacquer techniques on the different forms, traditional maki-e decoration on the panel and kawari-nuri (special lacquering) on the frame. In this example, Wakamiya has used lacquer imitating the rough surface of metal for the frame. Furthermore the unreality of the situation is further enhanced by the large spirit of Lady Rokujo looking down from the top left of the frame to the tiny Aoi no Ue in the diagonally opposite corner.

FE.594:1 to 2-2007