Tradition Traditions of Lacquer Technique

apanese lacquer dates back many centuries, and the techniques of "urushi" design have been handed-down mainly through trade to this day. Defined by scholars as one of the finest art forms from the hand of mankind, it reached its zenith in the 17th and 18th centuries in Japan. "Urushi", also known as japans, is a mysterious substance derived from the sap of laquer trees and sometimes called man’s earliest plastic because of its indeed lustrous nature. Varieties include cinnabar red, brown blacks, deep greens, ochre yellows; each color absorbed in depth and richness on variety of materials. Their decoration is as beautiful and varied as the lacquer objects themselves with meticulous detailing. Layers of fine tortoise shell and metal inlays are good examples of the myriad exotic materials used by the Japanese lacquer master.

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