by ICHINAKA Yuukei (b.1939)
Heisei Period, 2012
Red on black lacquer, negoro
12.3 x 21.0 x 19.0 cm
Signed. Signed and sealed tomobako
Few objects speak so strongly of a unique Japanese aesthetic as the ‘lunchbox’, makunouchi bento. A simple ordering device that provides a framework to the visual delight, care and complementary variety that epitomises the Japanese approach to food. Within it can be encapsulated a season, a festival and a celebration.
There is an austere elegance to this example, entitled Spring & Autumn – suggesting its intended use during the seasons of cherry blossom and maple – that works in the negoro lacquer tradition. Wajima artist Ichinaka Yuukei has taken the traditional stacking tiered box form and brought a twist to its design by the incorporation of the braid which secures the whole to its base. Ichinaka-san’s work was first accepted at the Nitten in 1966, since when he has regularly exhibited, receiving awards in 1991 and 1996. Since 1999 he has been a judge for the Nitten and in 2000 received the Prime Minister’s Award for his work.