Kashi Bowl

Shibata Zeshin is generally considered the most important Japanese lacquer artist of the nineteenth century. This delicate lacquer piece may have been used as a serving bowl in the Tea Ceremony. Its restrained lacquer decoration, which is set asymmetrically along the inner rim of the rusticated wood ground of the bowl, is restricted to three overlapping "cards." One contains a poetic inscription and the other two consist of imagery of seasonal plants inspired by classical Japanese poetry by the so-called Thirty-six Poets.

Zeshin’s background and rigorous training as an artisan-craftsman enabled him to understand the physical properties and artistic potential of the different materials and techniques of lacquer, all of which he exploited in novel ways. This knack for innovation and a keen designer’s eye distinguish his work and elevate it above that of his contemporaries.