Wajima lacquer kurodana with bamboo grove design, by Hamataka Etsur?, 1984

Wajima lacquer kurodana with bamboo grove design, by Hamataka Etsur?, 1984

This elegant kurodana in Wajima lacquer was conceived as a display stand and could also be used in a tea-related setting. The structure is notably restrained, playing on the balance of horizontal and vertical lines, with a carefully controlled asymmetrical arrangement that gives the piece a presence both light and architectural. The enclosed section on the left is decorated with a bamboo grove through which light seems to filter, rendered against a dark ground with subtle effects of depth and shimmering highlights.

The decoration holds the full poetic force of the piece. The bamboo stalks emerge from a darkened space animated by points of light that enliven the surface and suggest a diffuse glow within the grove. The contrast between the deep black lacquer and the golden tones of the design gives the piece a silent, almost meditative atmosphere, particularly fitting for display. Here, the stand is not merely a support: it plays a full part in the staging of the object placed upon it.

The artist’s signature appears at the lower left of the door. Made in 1984, this work is by Hamataka Etsur?, a Wajima lacquer artist born in 1940. Trained under Kitani Nobuo, a respected figure in Wajima lacquer, he belongs to the great tradition of Wajima-nuri. He also served as president of the Wajima Lacquer Artists Association. In 1983, a maki-e lacquer box with an aurora motif that he created was presented during a visit by His Majesty the Emperor, a sign of the official recognition given to his work.

This stand brings together several highly desirable qualities: strong structural clarity, a refined yet atmospheric vegetal landscape design, and a clear place within the demanding tradition of twentieth-century Wajima lacquer. It will appeal equally to admirers of contemporary Japanese lacquer and to collectors sensitive to display furniture associated with the tea world.

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