NAKAYA Kissyo series "Botan Karakusa"(Peony arabesque design)

NAKAYA Kissyo series
"Botan Karakusa" ( Peony arabesque design )

Background of "Botan Karakusa" (Peony arabesque design)

"Botan Karakusa" is one of traditional designs from ancient time.

These designs are used in many places like architectures, furniture, symbol of royal families, textiles and lacquer wares. There are also many encyclopedias about these traditional patterns and designs. Many of these designs we have in Japan nowadays came from China and they could be even from the countries of the Silk Road. However, as Japanese used them also since the ancient times we can say these are Japanese designs.

"Karakusa" (arabesque pattern) is the general name for the designs with plant's stem or vine, flowers, leaves and seeds. Motives are not fixed and many kinds of plants are taken as model. Different designs have names according to the model plants' name, such as "Botan Karakusa" (peony arabesque) or "Kiku Karakusa" (chrysanthemum arabesque). As vine grows long it is said to be the symbol for long life and therefore it is considered as design of luck.

"Botan" is flower which have been cultivated since 2000 years ago.
"Botan" was called "Fukika" (wealthy flower) in the Zui Tou Era of China from its beautiful looking. And as the old town Rakuyo was famous for Botan cultivation, it is also called "Rakuyoka" (Rakuyo flower). If people said flower as general term, it meant Botan. In the later time Rihaku was ordered by Gensou to create a song about Yokihi, comparing her beauty to Botan. Botan had been used in many places as the design for happiness and wealth since Zui Tou Era. Then it was combined with the Karakusa (arabesque) pattern from the Western Asia and became "Botan Karakusa".

This design is brought by the "Kento Shi" (foreign exchange program to Tou) in the Heian Era. And also in Japan there is a proverb with peony, which is an comparison for a beautiful woman. Not only because of its beauty but as it was said to have energy of protection, this design was used a lot in Kamakura Era and Muromachi Era on armors.

Techniques

Botan Karakusa is ground out on the gold base. This is very detailed artwork where patience is needed.

"Kai Togi-dashi Makie"
Sprinkle gold powder on the picture painted with urushi lacquer and coat with Suki Urushi (clear urushi lacquer) after drying. When it's stiffened, grind out the pattern with charcoal. After that take the step of "Suri-urushi" and roiro polish is done. Suri-urushi is a process that apply raw urushi lacquer and wipe out immediately after the finishing of uwanuri. This is necessary because in the process of uwanuri the surface is polished with fine sand paper which then result in making very small scratches on the surface and luster is gone at this point. To fill these small scratches and make the surface glossy again, put urushi lacquer thin and wipe it immediately. However, the urushi must be wiped completely to avoid the surface become blackish.

Process description

1: Togi-tate (smoothen)
Smoothen the urushi lacquer surface. If the surface is bumpy Togi-dashi (polishing) cannot be finished smoothly. Flat part is easy to do, however, it is very difficult when it comes to the round surface like barrels.
2: Oki-me
Paint the pattern on a thin Japanese paper with burned urushi lacquer, which does not dry. This paper then is pushed against the urushi-lacquered surface and copy the picture.
3: Ji-gaki
Paint the pattern with black urushi lacquer.
4: Kona-maki (powdering)
Apply urushi lacquer on the whole surface and sprinkle gold powder.
5: Kona-gatame (fix powder)
After the powder has stiffened, coat with urushi lacquer thin on the total surface and fix the gold powder.
6: Nuri-komi (apply urushi lacquer)
Apply urushi lacquer on whole surface.
7: Togi (grind)
Gold powder is to be ground to half of its thickness. The gold powder called "Maruko" (sphere shaped) is used. When this sphere is ground to exactly half, the color of the gold shines the most strongly and beautiful. It must not be ground less or more than half therefore this step is the part Makie artist's show his/her skill. As this is to grind very small powder to half, it is only possible if the process of Togi-tate and applicaion of urushi is finished perfectly smooth. Charcoal is used for grinding. In case of fountain pen there is no flat surface but only curves and in addition it is thin, therefore this process is really sensitive.
8: Ro-iro
Suri-urushi is performed on the whole surface and after stiffening, it is polished with palm and finger cushion. This is repeated for 3 times. Suri-urushi is a process that apply raw urushi lacquer and wipe out immediately after the finishing of uwanuri. This is necessary because in the process of uwanuri the surface is polished with fine sand paper which then result in making very small scratches on the surface, and luster is gone at this point. To fill these small scratches and make the surface glossy again, put urushi lacquer thin and wipe it immediately. However, the urushi must be wiped completely to avoid the surface become blackish.

Closer look at the " Mei " (autograph)

After the autograph "Taiga" there is serial number "One" with Chinese character.

Nashi-ji is applied inside the cap.

- Nashi-ji -
Nashi-ji is a type of Ji-maki (undercoating) where the Nashi-ji powder is used. Nashi-ji powder is very thin and micro powder made by pressing Hirame powder (plain powder). This powder is sprinkled on the lacquered base and after drying Nashi-ji, urushi lacquer (pure and clear urushi lacquer) is applied and ground to the point where the powder does not appear. The way powder can be seen through the clear urushi lacquer is similar to skin of Nashi fruits (Japanese pear) this technique is called Nashi-ji. The appearance with Nashi-ji undercoating is not glossy but mat.

This model enables you to change its weight by changing the end piece.
The nickname "Lizard" comes from this model's changeable "tail".
This pen is intended to be used without the cap posted.

Price US $2,500 ( JPY \300,000 )

You can see higher resolution pictures at this corner.

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