Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How was gold dust used in Japanese togidashi lacquer decoration?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
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 the Japanese togidashi maki-e technique, gold or silver powder is used to create a design that is eventually revealed through careful polishing. The process involves the following steps:12
- Application: The artist first paints the desired design onto the lacquer surface and sprinkles gold or silver powder over it while the lacquer is still wet.1
- Fixing: Once the initial layer is dry, an additional coat of lacquer is applied over the design to secure the metal powder in place.1
- Covering: A layer of rō-iro-urushi (a black, oil-free lacquer) is applied over the entire surface.1
- Revealing: After the final layer has dried, the surface is burnished with charcoal and water. This process, known as aratogi, gradually wears down the top layers of lacquer until the gold or silver powder beneath is faintly revealed.1
- Finishing: The piece undergoes repeated cycles of applying raw lacquer (suri-urushi), wiping, and polishing with charcoal to achieve a smooth, refined finish.1
This method results in a design that appears flush with the surface of the object, as the decoration is built up and then polished down to show the metal details.2