Wajima lacquer Kurodana with a bamboo forest design, by Hamataka Etsurō, 1984

An elegant Wajima lacquer kurodana, designed as a display cabinet and also suitable for use in a tea ceremony context. The structure, of great sobriety, plays on the balance of horizontal and vertical lines, with a very controlled asymmetrical arrangement that gives the piece a light yet architectural presence. The enclosed section, placed on the left, is adorned with a bamboo forest design that lets light filter through, rendered on a dark background with subtle effects of depth and sparkle.

The design concentrates all the poetry of the piece. The bamboo stalks stand out in a darkened space, traversed by bright highlights that enliven the surface and suggest diffuse light in the undergrowth. The contrast between the deep black of the lacquer and the golden tones of the design gives the piece a silent, almost meditative atmosphere, particularly apt for a display use. Here, the cabinet is not merely a support: it fully participates in the staging of the object it holds.

The artist's signature is on the bottom of the left door. Made in 1984, this piece is the work of Hamataka Etsurō, a Wajima lacquer artist born in 1940. Trained by Kitani Nobuo, a recognized figure in Wajima lacquer, he is part of the great tradition of Wajima-nuri. He also served as president of the Wajima Lacquerers Association. In 1983, a maki-e lacquer box with an aurora motif, which he created, was offered during a visit by His Majesty the Emperor, a sign of the official recognition accorded to his work.

This shelf thus combines several sought-after qualities: a beautiful rigor of construction, a refined and atmospheric botanical landscape design, and a clear inscription in the demanding tradition of Wajima lacquer in the 20th century. It will appeal equally to an admirer of contemporary Japanese lacquer and a collector sensitive to display furniture related to tea.

Dimensions: height 71 cm; width approx. 89.5 cm; depth approx. 38.5 cm.