vase with dragon around neck, Seishi)

Exhibition Label:
"Nature/Natural," Jul-2014, Kris Ercums
While Shibayama is the name of a city in Chiba prefecture, it also refers to a technique developed in the 18th century by Ōnogi Senzō大野木仙蔵 (1772–1781), which involves inlaying precious materials in ivory or metal. The technique was indebted to the earlier practice of inlaying mother-of-pearl in lacquer (known in Japan as raden螺鈿) that was in turn based on Chinese precedents (xiangqian 鑲嵌). This inlay technique is known in the West by the French term lacquer burgauté —derived from the French for “sea ear” (burgau)—a type of mollusk—and lacquer (laque or lac). During the late 19th century, the Shibayama inlay technique became highly desired in European and American markets and was produced almost exclusively for export.

Exhibition Label:
"Tradition and Modernity: Japanese Art of the Early Twentieth Century," Jan-2005, Hillary Pedersen
Elaborate vessels such as these appealed to foreign travelers in Japan who wanted souvenirs that encapsulated several artistic methods and materials into one item. The lacquered panels on the sides of the vessels are meticulously decorated with shell, stone and ivory encrusted designs. The glass ball-wielding dragon seen encircling the neck of the vase here is a common theme in Meiji period decorative arts that was actually taken from Chinese mythological traditions. It adds to the intentional exoticism of the work.