Inro and Other Miniature Forms of Japanese Lacquer Art (Electronic book text)

When Japan finally opened her doors to the outside world in the mid-19th century, there emerged one of the most skillful, exquisite, and remarkable art forms ever developed by any country: that of Japanese lacquer. Today, it is startling to discover that what we now consider as avante-garde in modern art - such as abstraction, impressionism, and collage - had already been perfected by Japanese lacquer artists over 300 years ago.
These words from the introduction to this unusual and splendidly illustrated book give the reader a fore-taste of the pleasures that await him or her in its pages. They are, in effect, an invitation to enter a fascinating world of color, design, and masterly craftsmanship: the hardly less than unique world of Japanese miniature lacquer art. No previous book in English has explored this world so thoroughly or presented such an abundance of valuable information about it.
The book is designed both for the novice in Japanese lacquer art and for the advanced collector who specializes in such delightful forms of that art as the inro and the netsuke. For readers who desire a general acquaintance with the subject, there are absorbing chapters on the history of Japanese lacquer, on miniature lacquer forms and on the subject matter of lacquer art. For the collector, there is not only highly technical information on lacquer manufacture and techniques but also a comprehensive chapter on netsuke. Three other features of the book make it an invaluable one for collectors: the biographical listing of more than 900 miniature- lacquer artists, the genealogies of the outstanding lacquer schools, and the reproductions of 59 signatures of representative artists.
This book is generously supplied with 256 illustrations, of which 76 are in color. All important miniature lacquer forms are represented. In addition, there is a well-selected and useful bibliography.