Page 299 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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221 Set of shelves with designs based on which powdered metal, usually gold or sil-
TheTaleofGenji ver, and lacquer are used to create designs.
maki-e and black lacquer, gold, silver, The motifs in this set of shelves are de-
tin, and mother-of-pearl on wood picted in takamaki-e (relief maki-e) lacquer,
1
65.5 x 72.5 x 33.0 (253/4 x 28 A x 13) in which the maki-e motifs are executed
Momoyama period, iyth century on a surface raised with such materials as
raw lacquer and pulverized stone. In addi-
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Tokyo tion, inlaid mother-of-pearl (raden), and
Important Cultural Property gold, silver, and tin are employed. The

Formerly owned by the Hachisuka family, bold composition and techniques are char-
daimyo of Awa Province (present-day To- acteristic of the group of lacquerwares
kushima Prefecture), this three-tiered set known as Kdetsu maki-e, associated with
of zushidana type shelves includes a cabi- Hon'ami Kôetsu (1558-1637, cats. 254,
net on the middle level in which the doors 255). SN
swing out and another on the lower level
with a sliding door. The decorative motifs
are based on the Heian-period romantic
classic, The Tale ofGenji. The motif of
two young pines on the top shelf is associ-
ated with the twenty-third chapter,
Nenohi, by which name this set is known.
The designs on the other levels—
moonflowers on a fan, a carriage, and a fan
with a picture of a bridge—are all related
to other chapters in Genji. A fence runs
diagonally across the doors, and maple
leaves and pine needles are scattered on
the interiors of the cabinets and on the
sides and back of the set.
Maki-e is the term used to describe a
group of Japanese lacquer techniques in

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