provided the greatest technical challenge, both in the difficulty of artistically presenting subject matter and design on relatively small irregularly shaped surface areas and in the miniature, almost microscopic, work entailed in such small objects. Of all the miniature lacquered objects the widely used inro is a perfect example of Japanese miniature lacquer art. This small bibelot, approximately 31/2" x 2" x 1" deep, was essentially a multicompartment case worn suspended from the sash and served to carry seals, portable shrines, or powdered medicines. Inro were developed during the late 17th and 18th centuries, paralleling the height of development of Japanese lacquer art. The Japanese people did not wear or use any nonutilitarian objects such as jewelry. Therefore the artisan only worked on utilitarian objects. The inro, besides the sword, was the one exposed object worn mainly by the noblemen, samurai (warrior class), and merchants. It thus became the one "jewel" and expressed artistically in miniature lacquer form the aesthetic tastes of its patrons as revealed through the creative talents of the great Japanese lacquer artists.
Since Japanese lacquer is an extremely difficult medium in which to work, it often took months or even years to complete a single object. However, under the old Japanese feudal system time and money were of no significance to the lacquerer as each daimyo, or lord, subsidized his own artists. Only under such circumstances was it possible to have so time-consuming and costly an art flourish and prosper. However by the mid-19th century there was an overthrow of the feudal system and the loss of the patrons of lacquer art. These factors, combined with the commercialization of Japanese art forms in general, virtually brought an end to this magnificent form of art.
It is the purpose of this book to elucidate the history, technique, and development of this unique art form, about which so little has been written and for which Japan has become world-renowned.
We are indebted to many people for their cooperation in the preparation of this book. We would particularly like to thank Mr. Joseph U. Seo for his invaluable assistance and guidance not only in the translating of original Japanese sources and for clarifying previously uncertain data relating to lacquer artists but also for his expert judgment in obtaining and assessing the major portion of the objects which are illustrated.
INRO and
other miniature forms of
Japanese Lacquer Art
1
THERE ARE CERTAIN SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MINIATURE metal and lacquer art. Both were held in the highest esteem by the Japanese and were fostered by the imperial court and local wealthy feudal lords. Great metal and lacquer artists received honorary titles in spite of the relatively low social strata that these artisans held in Japan's feudal society. Both metal and lacquer arts were essentially graphic rather than sculptural, and yet they possessed subtle sculptural elements. Both of these arts utilized similar artistic techniques even though in entirely different media. They both made full use of color for decorative values: different-colored lacquers and different-colored metals. Yet in both forms at times color was minimized, as seen in plain iron sword ornamentation with just a touch of sculptural effects in the iron. The same applied to lacquer, where we might see a subtle simple black design superimposed upon a plain black lacquered background. Both metal and lacquer arts used combinations of flat, medium, and raised reliefs as well as encrustations. Art motifs and background effects were also often comparable. Finally all three of these art media slowly evolved over the centuries and reached the zenith of their artistic and technical development in the 18th century. Separate and famous schools of netsuke, metal, and lacquer artists evolved during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Each of these highly specialized art forms required years of assiduous training, and each developed numerous schools of different and overlapping artistic styles. Figures 17, 18, and 19 represent the simple subject of a pair of playful puppies as portrayed in each of the three miniature art forms by a master craftsman in each medium.
To the Western eye it is somewhat difficult to appreciate Oriental artistic presentation of subject matter and design in graphic form. This can only be realized by obtaining a thorough understanding of the tastes and the aesthetic development of the Oriental artist over centuries of maturation. The uninitiated, upon viewing an expert specimen of Japanese lacquer, may see what appears to be somewhat grotesque, exaggerated, and conventionalized figures and designs eccentrically placed over the surface area of the lacquered object. The design, more often than not, will flow over and envelop all sides of the object in question. Such artistic treatment of subject matter and surface area, unique in Japanese lacquer art, may at first appear disturbingly strange until we gain a better knowledge of Oriental and Japanese artistic concepts. Figure 2 represents a masked Noh dancer. What at first may appear to be a grotesque face on second glance becomes a powerfully expressive mask. The figure abounds with motion and energy. The clothes, upon closer scrutiny, are typically Japanese in treatment. It is not enough to represent an exquisite, colorful, detailed, designed robe, but also each part of the garment has a different motif in different colors. There are even slight ornamental variations within each motif itself. The motifs themselves have symbolic meaning, including the "seven precious things." The dancing figure is eccentrically placed on the surface area and is counterbalanced by the peonies. The flowers are done in encrusted raised mother-of-pearl similar to the face of the Noh dancer for heightened effect. Thus we see how the Japanese artist deliberately and thoughtfully presents his subject matter. Strength and motion are counterbalanced by delicate intricate ornamental design. The asymmetry of the overall design and of the details within the design artistically prevents boredom. The technical use of materials such as the mother-of-pearl and the red lacquer of the dancer's hair completes the artistic effect. One final effect should be noted: that of the subtle use of perspective completely different from Western techniques. The dancer appears to be leaping into the air. This effect is heightened by the peonies, which are on a lower level and appear to be rising above the ground although the ground itself is not portrayed. This is perspective in a vertical sense rather than one of depth. Yet the sense of depth is also present through the proportionately large size of the peonies, which appear as if in the foreground. Depth and perspective are also gained within the design itself by use of the flat and raised lacquer and the inlaid mother-of-pearl.
The development of such artistic concepts and aestheticism as related to Japanese lacquer was dependent upon five major influences, which through the centuries formulated these concepts. These influences are: 1) geographical, 2) Chinese, 3) religious, 4) feudal (political and economic), and 5) cultural. Together, these five factors formed and molded the customs, mores, and aesthetic values of Japan, which, combined with endless Oriental patience and supreme technical craftsmanship, produced the finest lacquer ware the world has ever known. All of the arts were influenced historically by the customs, aesthetics, and technical knowledge of the day along with Chinese and Buddhist influences. Similarly there was a certain degree of influence of the arts upon one another. Thus lacquer artists often adopted designs of famous paintings and prints. Similarly, metal artists often did encrusted work on inro, and netsuke artists occasionally made inro. On the other hand, lacquer became a uniquely independent and highly developed art form because of two major factors. The first was that lacquer art was practiced throughout the ages by a highly specialized class of artisans and their families. The second was that since this media involved so much time, effort, and expense, it could only be patronized by wealthy persons, such as the imperial household, the nobility, and the local feudal lords. Lacquer art was not only highly esteemed but naturally reflected the more subtle conservative aesthetic tastes of these patrons, being altered only by the 18th-century school of lacquer impressionists and in the 19th century by the more ornate, lavish, less artistic tastes of the rising merchant class. Finally it should be noted that, at the height of lacquer-art development in the 18th century, the influence of the traditional, conventional, and rigid dogma of Chinese art had already been completely modified, softened, and liberalized in relation to Japanese lacquer. Pictorially, decoratively, and in regard to technique, Japan now emerged unsurpassed and unrivaled in her lacquer art.
Geographical
