Golden Treasures: Japanese Gold Lacquer Boxes - Erik Thomsen

18Sun and Moon Box双 天 彩 雲 »Double Heavens, Colorful Clouds«Yoshio Okada 岡 田 嘉 夫 (b. 1977)Heisei era (1989 – ), 2007H 3" × L 3" × W 3"(7.4 cm × 7.5 cm × 7.5 cm)This three-part cubic masterpiece is entitled DoubleHeavens, Colorful Clouds. The title comes froman old Chinese term, which refers to the momentwhen the sun and the moon appear at the sametime, just before sunset, producing colorful clouds.The phrase can also be used to refer to an auspiciousevent.The box comes with its original kiri-wood tomobakobox that is inscribed on the side »Makie kanshitsukobako sōten saiun« [ 蒔 絵 乾 漆 小 箱 双 天 彩 雲 ](Small Dry Lacquer Box with Gold Lacquer, DoubleHeavens, Colorful Clouds) and signed »Yoshio-zō«(made by Yoshio) with a red seal mark reading»Yoshio.«All three parts are made entirely in the kanshitsudry lacquer technique, using as the base not woodbut many layers of lacquer reinforced with hempcloth. The inside box is enclosed by two lids—onedecorated with the sun, the other with the moon.The polished togidashi lacquer surface is coveredwith a design of clouds, made by sprinkling thelacquer with powders of silver and two tones ofgold as well as with red lacquer and inlays of kiriganegold foil. All the inside surfaces are denselycovered with nashiji gold flakes.The box was the winner of the New Artist PromotionPrize at the 36th Annual Traditional Arts of Japanin Kinki Exhibition in 2007. It was also illustrated inthe accompanying Catalog for the 36th AnnualTraditional Arts of Japan in Kinki Exhibition, 2007.Yoshio Okada lives and works in Kyoto, Japan.38