c. 1910-1920

Hibachi with Design of Plants (from set of ten)

Japanese, 1866 - 1942

This hibachi (a brazier or handwarmer), from a set of ten, is decorated with gold and silver maki-e (sprinkled design) over a deep-red lacquer ground. The sides of the rounded form of the hibachi display seasonal flowers and plants, such as chrysanthemum, bush clover, and Chinese bellflower. Production of maki-e, a type of lacquer, began in the mid-seventeenth century. Its main characteristic is the use of gold and silver, either in powdered surface decoration or in relief called takamaki-e, and the gradations of color achieve a remarkable three-dimensional effect. The lacquer is built up through more than thirty layers, giving it a deep reflective sheen that here successfully sets off the floral motifs.