Thank for whoever had the idea to produce this interesting video. It made me want to be a lacquer collector... so I just bought my first beautiful inro :-)))
The mastery of lacquer-creation requires physical tolerance of poison, knowledge about cultivating/harvesting from lacquer trees, cutting down the best "bones" you can find, carving the wood, curing the wood for months-years, mixing paint/dye/clay by time-tested formulas, & applying several (>20) coats of lacquer paint, & polishing, not to mention all the time curing in between each layer. I think this craft involves a bit of everything. Not to mention artistic aesthetic.
BTW there is a British Urushi (Japanese lacquerware) craftswoman in Japan... I recommend you to watch two videos titled "Suzanne Ross Japanophiles 1" & "Suzanne Ross Japanophiles 2" on RUclips.
Let's put it this way... Japan (and especially China) have perfected the art of survival to the point where they can actually create time-intensive specialty arts. Even the ink-stone maker in Japanese culture has a sense of individual aesthetic & pride in his creations. These are skills that are not common human knowledge that really have taken years of trial & error to perfect. These beauties represent both quality, utility, & beauty from a time where those things were hard to come by.
The most beautiful art form mankind has ever produced. I have the privilege to be a dealer in this wonderful art .
Thank for whoever had the idea to produce this interesting video. It made me want to be a lacquer collector... so I just bought my first beautiful inro :-)))
It looks so delicate, I cant believe it can take years to make one.
The mastery of lacquer-creation requires physical tolerance of poison, knowledge about cultivating/harvesting from lacquer trees, cutting down the best "bones" you can find, carving the wood, curing the wood for months-years, mixing paint/dye/clay by time-tested formulas, & applying several (>20) coats of lacquer paint, & polishing, not to mention all the time curing in between each layer. I think this craft involves a bit of everything. Not to mention artistic aesthetic.
BTW there is a British Urushi (Japanese lacquerware) craftswoman in Japan...
I recommend you to watch two videos titled "Suzanne Ross Japanophiles 1" &
"Suzanne Ross Japanophiles 2" on RUclips.
My mouth dropped when the wood was so thin you could see through it
an in depth introduction! thank you
Let's put it this way... Japan (and especially China) have perfected the art of survival to the point where they can actually create time-intensive specialty arts. Even the ink-stone maker in Japanese culture has a sense of individual aesthetic & pride in his creations. These are skills that are not common human knowledge that really have taken years of trial & error to perfect. These beauties represent both quality, utility, & beauty from a time where those things were hard to come by.
So much hyperbole. An impressive craft, but hardly deserving of any more reverence than many others.