Japanese Tsugaru lacquerware Laquerware Bowl Kara Nuri Technique 9.5 Inches

Description

Japanese Tsugaru Laquerware Bowl - Kara Nuri Technique.
9.5 inches in diameter 2.5 inches tall, 5 inch diameter base.
The patterned rim and inside of the bowl has retained a clear mirror like finish with no visible scratches. The black underside in very good shape.with one visible quarter inch scratch; there are a few other very faint scratches and pinpricks on the underside if you look carefully.
Located at the far north end of Japan’s main island of Honshu, Aomori Prefecture is the birthplace of a gorgeous style of lacquerware called
Tsugaru-nuri
.
Nuri
means coating (as in, the lacquer-making process) and Tsugaru is the name of the area where the style originated and
is a general term for traditional lacquerware produced in the Tsugaru region.
Tsugaru-nuri
was designated a Traditional Folk Craft in 1975.
There are four styles of
Tsugaru-nuri
. They are:
Kara-nuri,
which results in multicolored speckling;
Nanako-nuri,
which is a circular pattern said to represent the apples the prefecture is well-known for growing;
Monsha-nuri,
a stipple-like pattern of small dots and patterns; and
Nishiki-nuri,
an extremely advanced technique combining circles, patterns, and lines.
The most popular and abundant style is the
Kara-nuri as seen on this bowl.
Process-wise, not much has changed in the 300 years artisans have been crafting these eye-catching pieces.
It begins with as many as 48 applications of a base layer, all of which must completely dry before any progress can be made. Then, the pattern layers are painted on. To achieve the distinctive pattern of
Kara-nuri
, a spatula-like tool
with multiple circular holes
, called a
shikake-bera
, is used to apply the resin.
After this tool applied lacquer dries, it is polished and another layer is added again using the special tool.
This process repeats many times until the pattern is built up. Each product coated with this lacquer is a one-of-a-kind item due to the intricate and time-consuming nature of the craft.
Colored surface patterns are dictated by the thickness of the pattern lacquer layers. Finally, several coats of the surface layers are applied and allowed to dry.
After the application of the surface layers is complete, the pattern is brought out by sanding and polishing with wet sandpaper, eventually reaching the multicolored layers beneath. The finished result is a piece bearing a rich, mottled pattern with depth and a glossy sheen. The entire process, from start to finish, can take more than 60 days.
Some have called
Tsugaru-nuri
"the fool’s lacquerware," as only a fool would commit so much time to a single piece. Others say the lacquerware’s distinct beauty is a result of the dark, long winters of Aomori.