DOI issue:
Nr. 176 (October, 1911)
DOI article:Harada, Jirō: Japanese art and artists of to-day. VI. Cloisonné Enamel-work
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43447#0370
Japanese Art and Artists of To-day.—I I. Cloisonne Enamels
CLOISONNE PLATE BY ANDO JUBEI (NAGOYA)
may also prove to be of some value. When the
monochromatic ground of the ware is of a light
colour the piece is described as usuji. When the
design is old, more after the old Chinese pattern
(with kara-kusa, or ornamental vine scroll), gene-
rally with heavy wires, the cloisonne is said to have
kodai-moyb. The rainbow-coloured enamel made
to run from the top of a shippo piece of recent
development after the fashion of a porcelain glaze
is called nagare-gusuri (streaming or flowing glaze).
Here a few words about the technique of enamel .
decoration may prove of interest. Let us take
an ordinary example of yusen-do-jippo^ a copper
cloisonne enamel. To prepare the base a piece of
copper is hammered out into the desired shape
and form, the surface being made smooth. Upon
this copper base is traced with a brush in indian
ink the design to be executed, which has been
originally painted by an artist on paper or silk.
Then thin wires or ribbons of gold, silver, or copper
are placed edgeways
upon the lines of the
drawing with great ac¬
curacy in order to make
the cloisons. The
narrow metallic ribbon
is cut into sections of
various lengths and
curved into the forms
required, exactly fitting
the lines of the draw¬
ing. In the more
carefully made pieces
the ribbons are not
only bent but beaten
with a hammer so as to obtain varying thicknesses
of lines, and the ends of the wires filed so as to
ensure that they meet perfectly.
The endless patience required, and the great
difficulty involved in this preliminary part of the
enameller’s art, can be imagined when we learn
that it is not unusual to find more than one
hundred pieces of ribbon set in intricate designs
in a space of one square inch. The writer has
now before him a cigarette-box, made by Kumeno
CLOISONNE VASE
BY KAWADE SHIBATARO (NAGOYA)
Teitaro of Nagoya, about three and a half inches
long and a little less wide, literally covered with
tiny butterflies, most delicate wire being used to
give form to two sets of wings and a pair of
antennae for each butterfly. At an arm’s length the
box appears to be covered simply with shapeless
dots, and it is only by a closer examination that
thousands of butterflies of perfect shapes and
beautiful colours can be appreciated. How the
minute work has been done is still a mystery to
many of his friends.
A vegetable glue made from the root of a species
275
KAWADE SHIBATARO’S
MARKS
( Silver wire filled wilh
enamel)
CLOISONNE PLATE BY ANDO JUBEI (NAGOYA)
may also prove to be of some value. When the
monochromatic ground of the ware is of a light
colour the piece is described as usuji. When the
design is old, more after the old Chinese pattern
(with kara-kusa, or ornamental vine scroll), gene-
rally with heavy wires, the cloisonne is said to have
kodai-moyb. The rainbow-coloured enamel made
to run from the top of a shippo piece of recent
development after the fashion of a porcelain glaze
is called nagare-gusuri (streaming or flowing glaze).
Here a few words about the technique of enamel .
decoration may prove of interest. Let us take
an ordinary example of yusen-do-jippo^ a copper
cloisonne enamel. To prepare the base a piece of
copper is hammered out into the desired shape
and form, the surface being made smooth. Upon
this copper base is traced with a brush in indian
ink the design to be executed, which has been
originally painted by an artist on paper or silk.
Then thin wires or ribbons of gold, silver, or copper
are placed edgeways
upon the lines of the
drawing with great ac¬
curacy in order to make
the cloisons. The
narrow metallic ribbon
is cut into sections of
various lengths and
curved into the forms
required, exactly fitting
the lines of the draw¬
ing. In the more
carefully made pieces
the ribbons are not
only bent but beaten
with a hammer so as to obtain varying thicknesses
of lines, and the ends of the wires filed so as to
ensure that they meet perfectly.
The endless patience required, and the great
difficulty involved in this preliminary part of the
enameller’s art, can be imagined when we learn
that it is not unusual to find more than one
hundred pieces of ribbon set in intricate designs
in a space of one square inch. The writer has
now before him a cigarette-box, made by Kumeno
CLOISONNE VASE
BY KAWADE SHIBATARO (NAGOYA)
Teitaro of Nagoya, about three and a half inches
long and a little less wide, literally covered with
tiny butterflies, most delicate wire being used to
give form to two sets of wings and a pair of
antennae for each butterfly. At an arm’s length the
box appears to be covered simply with shapeless
dots, and it is only by a closer examination that
thousands of butterflies of perfect shapes and
beautiful colours can be appreciated. How the
minute work has been done is still a mystery to
many of his friends.
A vegetable glue made from the root of a species
275
KAWADE SHIBATARO’S
MARKS
( Silver wire filled wilh
enamel)