Japanese Lacquer: Maki-e and Urushi from the Edo Period to Today

This collection showcases the luminous beauty and enduring legacy of Japanese lacquerware, with a focus on Maki-e and Urushi works from the Edo period to the contemporary era.

Each piece exemplifies the patience and precision required of lacquer artisans—layer upon layer of hand-applied urushi sap, polished to a deep sheen, often adorned with powdered gold and silver in the exquisite technique of Maki-e. From Edo-period writing boxes, incense trays, and sake cups to bold contemporary works by living masters, these objects reflect both refinement and resilience.

The collection honors lacquer not just as ornamentation, but as a philosophy of craft: celebrating impermanence, tactile beauty, and the quiet harmony between material and meaning. Whether traditional or modern in design, each lacquered work offers a tactile, visual, and spiritual encounter with centuries of Japanese artistry.