What is Maki-e?

What is Maki-e?

Maki-e is one of the lacquer craft techniques that originated in the Nara period (710-794). Since the Heian period (794-1185), maki-e has been used for furnishings and Buddhist ritual utensils of aristocrats, and warriors and is a traditional decorative technique that has developed uniquely in Japan through the culture of merchants and merchants.

Generally, gold and silver powders or colored powders are sprinkled on the surface, and those combined with mother-of-pearl inlays are also included in this category.

Even today, it is applied to bowls and other handicrafts, as well as small articles for Buddhist rituals and Sekku dolls, and is probably one of the most familiar traditional crafts for us.

Different sizes and shapes of particles can be used to express perspective and shading.

Maki-e is a process of drawing pictures and patterns with lacquer, sprinkling gold powder on top, hardening, and polishing.

What kind of metal powders and techniques are used? Let's take a look.

Hira Maki-e (平蒔絵）

Sown with Hiramefun (平目粉) and Marufun (丸粉) powders. While keshifun gold powder (消し粉) is made from gold leaf and has fine particles, Marufun (丸粉) powder is made from pure gold bar which makes it thicker and rounder particles, giving it a more luster than keshifun gold powder (消し粉).

Nashikoji (梨子地)

Nashikoji is a thinner version of Hiramefun (平目粉), and its shape is identical. Transparent lacquer is applied over and over to make the underlying powder visible. *There is some corrosion in the reference image.

Hirameji (平目地)・Taka-Maki-e(高蒔絵)

Hirameji is made from sowned and grounded Hiramefun powder. Taka-Maki-e is a technique to make the pattern thicker by using Keshifun or Marufun.

Hyomon (平文)

Metal sheet is cut into patterns and affixed to a lacquer surface.

Keshifun Powder Maki-e (消し粉蒔絵)

The surface adhesive (urushi) is sprinkled with gold powder to produce a metallic gold color. It is generally used for Buddhist altars.

The photo shows a work made by Togidashi Maki-e, which expresses a complex and delicate picture by combining multiple methods and materials.

As you can see, the artist used multiple methods and materials and combined them to express a complex and delicate picture.

This is a brief introduction to the profound world of maki-e, focusing on the material of metal powders.

The number of craftsmen who make the gold powders has been decreasing due to the recent shortage of workers. Maki-e is a traditional Japanese craft loved around the world as "Maki-e".The survival of gold powder and gold paint, which are the main materials, is essential for the continuation of this technique. With the decline of the Buddhist altar and kimono industries, there is no other way but for artists and craftsmen to continue to produce maki-e.