Maki-e

Not to be confused withEmaki.

Maki-e

Maki-eenlargement

Maki-e(Thì hội,literally: sprinkled picture (or design))is aJapanese lacquerdecoration technique in which pictures, patterns, and letters are drawn withlacqueron the surface of lacquerware, and then metal powder such as gold or silver is sprinkled and fixed on the surface of the lacquerware. The origin of the termmaki-eis a compound word ofmakimeaning "sprinkling" andemeaning "picture" or "design". The term can also be used to refer to lacquerware made with this decorative technique. The termmaki-efirst appeared in theHeian period.

This technique is the most used technique in Japanese lacquer decoration. Themaki-eis often combined with other techniques such asraden(Loa điền)in which anacreouslayer ofmollusk shell liningis embedded or pasted in lacquer,zōgan(Tượng khảm)in which metal or ivory is embedded in lacquer, andchinkin(Thẩm kim)in which gold leaf or gold powder is embedded in a hollow where lacquer has been shaved.

To create different colours and textures,maki-eartists use a variety of metal powders including gold, silver, copper, brass, lead, aluminum, platinum, and pewter, as well as their alloys. Bamboo tubes and soft brushes of various sizes are used for laying powders and drawing fine lines. As it requires highly skilled craftsmanship to produce amaki-epainting, young artists usually go through many years of training to develop the skills and to ultimately becomemaki-emasters.Kōami Dōchō(1410–1478) was the first lacquer master linked to specific works. Hismaki-eworks used designs from various Japanese contemporary painters. Kōami and anothermaki-emaster,Igarashi Shinsai,were originators of the two major schools of lacquer-making in the history of Japan.

Major techniques and their history

Classification by manufacturing process

Maki-eis roughly classified into three techniques ofhira maki-e(Bình thì hội),togidashi maki-e(Nghiên xuất thì hội)andtaka maki-e(Cao thì hội)as a process classification. In Japan, these three techniques andshishiai togidashi maki-e(Nhục hợp nghiên xuất thì hội),which is a combination oftogidashi maki-eandtaka maki-e,are widely used.Thesemaki-eprocesses are started after the normal lacquerware process is finished. In other words, it is necessary to make a thick foundation layer of lacquer in advance by repeating a series of works such as coating the wood or paper with lacquer using a spatula or brush, drying it and polishing it.

Hira maki-e(Bình thì hội)

At the first stage, a preliminary sketch process calledokimeis performed. After the original picture is drawn on the paper, thinwashiis overlapped and copied along the outline from above, and then lacquer is applied to the outline drawn on thewashiwith a thin brush, and is pressed to the surface of the lacquerware to transfer. If the picture or pattern is simple, this process may be omitted. The next step, calledjigaki,is the preparation process before metal powder is sprinkled. Lacquer is applied to the place where metal powder is to be sprinkled and it is used as an adhesive. Then, in a process calledfunmakimetal powder is sprinkled using a bird's feather shaft or a bamboo tube. In the next process, lacquer is applied on top of metal powder to protect the metal powder, and then the lacquer is dried. The first polishing is performed in the nextfuntogiprocess. The lacquer is slightly polished to expose only the surface of the metal powder with the metal powder embedded in the lacquer. In the subsequent polishing process, the entire lacquerware is polished with abrasives of different particle sizes. In addition, in the middle of each polishing process, a process calledsuriurushiis inserted, in which a series of processes of rubbing lacquer onto lacquerware and drying it are repeated. Glossymaki-eis completed through these complicated processes.Although this technique is the simplest inmaki-e,it was developed in the latter half of the Heian period aftertogidashi maki-eand completed in theKamakura periodbecause it was necessary to make the particles of metal powder finer. This technique was popular in theAzuchi-Momoyama period,when mass production ofmaki-ewas necessary.

Togidashi maki-e(Nghiên xuất thì hội)

Togidashi maki-eandhira maki-ehave the same process up to thefungatamewhere they apply lacquer to protect the metal powder. However, the subsequent processes are different, andtogidashi maki-euses a process callednurikomiin which the entire lacquerware including pictures and patterns is coated with black lacquer. After drying, it is polished until the surface of the metal powder is exposed. After that, it is the same ashira maki-ein that it is polished with abrasives of different particle sizes, and lacquer is rubbed and dried, but the procedure of each process is different.Since the entire surface including the pattern is coated with lacquer and then polished, the surface of the pattern and the background becomes smooth and metal powder is harder to fall off thanhira maki-e.It was a technique developed and completed in the Heian period, and this technique was the mainstream ofmaki-euntil the late Heian period when the refining technique of gold and silver powder was undeveloped and the particles were rough. Because a sword scabbard in theNara periodkept atShōsōinuses a technique calledmakkinrusaku(Mạt kim lũ tác)similar to this technique, it is sometimes said that Japanesemaki-ebegan during the Nara period..

Taka maki-e(Cao thì hội)

A lacquer is mixed with charcoal or mineral particles to make a lacquer with increased viscosity, and a pattern is drawn on the surface to raise the pattern. Then it is dried and the same process ashira maki-eis done on top of the pattern to complete. The name of the technique is different depending on the kind of particles to be mixed, and the one mixed with charcoal powder is calledsumikoage-taka maki-e(Thán phấn thượng thì hội)and the one mixed with tin powder issuzuage-taka maki-e(Tích thượng cao thì hội).This technique was developed in the middle of the Kamakura period. In theMuromachi period,sabiage-taka maki-e(Thương thượng cao thì hội)was developed by mixing lacquer with powdered whetstone or powdered clay, and it became possible to raise the pattern higher..

Shishiai togidashi maki-e(Nhục hợp nghiên xuất thì hội)

After raising the pattern in the process of taka mak-ie, it is completed through the process oftogidashi maki-e.Unliketogidashi maki-e,the surface does not become smooth even after polishing because the process oftaka maki-eis completed. It is the most complicated technique amongmaki-e,and was developed in the Muromachi period and was popular in theEdo period..

Classification by size and shape of metal powder

The particles of the metal powder are roughly classified into three types ofkeshifun maki-e(Tiêu phấn thì hội),hiragimeorhiragoku maki-e(Bình cực thì hội)andmarufun(Hoàn phấn)orhon maki-e(Bổn thì hội)in order of decreasing size. Fine particleskeshifun maki-eare easy to work with, but the adhesion of the particles is weak, and the color becomes whitish with little gloss and looks dull. Large particlesmarufun maki-eare difficult to work with but have high durability, and have a strong luster and a flashy appearance due to irregular reflection of particles.

Gallery

• 
  Inlaidmaki-eradenpaper box with "wheels in flow" (katawaguruma) design,National Treasure,Heian period,11–12th century,Tokyo National Museum
• 
  Inlaidmaki-eradenwriting Box with "Eight Bridges" (yatsuhashi) design, byOgata Kōrin,National Treasure,Edo period,18th century. The flowers areabaloneshell inlays. Tokyo National Museum
• 
  Maki-esakebottle withTokugawa clan'smon(emblem),Edo period, 18th century
• 
  Inrowith the Characters for Longevity and Good Fortune and the "Seven Lucky Treasures" on Checkerboard Ground, Edo period, 18th century,Metropolitan Museum of Art
• 
  Maki-eFuji Tagonoura,byShibata Zeshin,Meiji period,1872.
• 
  Maki-eWriting-table, by Shirayama Shosai, Meiji period, 19th century,Khalili Collection of Japanese Art

Maque

The Mexican wordmaquederives from the Japanese word. It is used for "Mexican lacquerware". Japanese lacquerware arrived to Mexico through theManila galleonsduring theNamban period.Mexican artisans fused pre-Hispanic, European and Asian influences in their work.

References

• Lacquerware stories/maki-e

External links

• Media related toMaki-eat Wikimedia Commons
• Maki-eatBritannica