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How did Japanese nashiji decoration use gold or silver flakes?
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lacquerwork
Imperial Chinese throne of the Qianlong emperor (reigned 1735–96), red lacquer carved in dragons and floral scrolls, Qing dynasty; in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
In Japanese lacquerwork, the nashiji technique utilizes gold or silver flakes, known as nashiji-ko, to create a distinctive background effect that resembles the skin of a Japanese pear (nashi).12
The process involves the following steps:
- Application: Lacquer is applied to the surface of an object, specifically excluding the areas intended for the primary design.1
- Sprinkling: The gold or silver flakes are sprinkled onto the wet lacquer.1
- Layering and Finishing: A layer of nashiji lacquer is applied over the flakes. Once dry, the surface is burnished with charcoal, which allows the metal flakes to be seen through the translucent lacquer at various depths.12
This technique, a form of maki-e, flourished during the Muromachi period. Later variations included e-nashiji, where the technique is applied to parts of the design, and muranashi-ji, which uses varying densities of flakes to create effects like clouds.1