Gold Leaf Craft: Auspicious Peony / Kakejiku Hanging Scroll
The subject of the hanging scroll is "Gold Leaf Craft: Auspicious Peony".
The depiction showcases the peony flowers blooming vibrantly, with the luxurious use of gold leaf adding to their brilliance and radiance.
Focusing on the mounting, peony motifs adorning chuberi “central border fabric” and Ichimonji sections. Peonies symbolize "happiness" and "prosperity," making this hanging scroll an embodiment of auspiciousness in its entirety.
This product, "Gold Leaf Craft: Auspicious Peony," is carefully stored, wrapped around a scroll rod inside a beautiful wooden paulownia box. The cylindrical parts at both ends of the scroll, known as jikusaki, are crucial when storing the scroll. The jikusaki of this product are made of stoneware, and the material used for the scroll ends can be indicative of who created it and for what purpose, adding to its allure.
The hanging scroll is an important item that allows one to enjoy various events and seasonal changes, bringing a sense of ease and the transition of the seasons into everyday life. It is also frequently used to entertain guests who visit.
Tracing its history, the hanging scroll was introduced to Japan during the Asuka period (538 CE–710 CE). It coincided with the arrival of Buddhism from China, and initially, Buddhist paintings were depicted on these scrolls. In the Heian period(794 CE–1185 CE), these Buddhist painting scrolls became popular among the aristocracy. By the late Kamakura period(1185 CE–1333 CE), with the popularity of the tea ceremony, alcoves were created to display power.
In the Azuchi-Momoyama period(1568 CE–1600 CE), influenced by the tea master Sen no Rikyu, scrolls began to be changed seasonally. The mounted scroll, appreciated in these alcoves, plays an important role in Japanese interior decoration.
Hanging scrolls are deeply rooted in Japanese traditional culture, yet the number of Japanese rooms and alcoves where scrolls are displayed has been decreasing. However, the value of conveying the messages encapsulated in scrolls remains undeniable.
The charm of these scrolls lies in the different meanings expressed by the characters and paintings they depict, the fabrics used in the details, and the patterns.
Today, they add color to both homes and offices and are ideal for collections of Japanese art. Hanging scrolls not only represent Japanese culture but also provide viewers with a sense of richness and a serene space.
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Package type | Paulownia box |
Origin | Made in Japan |
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This hanging scroll features a three-dimensional "gold leaf embossing technique," meticulously crafted by hand. When light shines upon the portions embellished with Kanazawa gold foil, it creates unique shadows, emitting varying radiance depending on the viewing angle.
Furthermore, a traditional technique known as "Honkin Chirashi" is employed.
This technique, which employs various types and shapes of gold leaf exclusively for finishing, enhances the shine and texture of the material, imparting a luxurious and magnificent expression to the artwork.
The merging of light-induced shadows and the brilliance of gold leaf accentuates the auspiciousness and beauty inherent in peonies. This hanging scroll is believed to bring wealth, prosperity, and happiness to those who behold it.
About Craftsmen
Kidoguchi Yoshio
Born in 1975, Yoshio Kidoguchi is a traditional craftsman who graduated from the Ishikawa Prefectural Wajima Lacquerware Technical Research Institute.
In 2000, he studied lacquerware techniques in Wajima and joined the company Hakuichi to pursue the fusion of lacquerware and gold leaf.
In 2010, he crafted a guitar for composer Kenji Kawai at eAT KANAZAWA.
In 2015, he was awarded the Excellence Award for his work at the Ishikawa Traditional Crafts Fair 2015.
In 2018, his work was selected for the 74th Kanazawa City Craft Exhibition.