A flight of six stylised butterflies flutters across the gently canted lid of this sumptuous tebako. At either end is mounted a single further example. All exterior faces of the box are finished in richly coloured shu mijin nuri lacquer. In this technique fine particles (mijin) of red dry lacquer are sprinkled on to a black lacquer surface. With a further black lacquer coating the whole is then polished back to achieve this spectacular finish, on which the carved butterflies have been mounted. Their representation has been achieved through the carved lacquer, choshitsu, technique. Firstly building up a panel of around 130 layers of coloured and black lacquers, the design was created by carving back down the layers to reveal the composite colours. Inside the box, including a lay-in tray, the finish is black gloss roiro finish throughout.

Onishi was born in the small city of Zentsuji in northern Shikoku, close by the lacquer centre of Takamatsu, noted for its craftmen’s skills in carved lacquer techniques. He studied under Tsuishi Yozei XX, credited with revitalising and modernising the choshitsu art form in the early 20th century. Works by Onishi are held in Kanazawa’s National Crafts Museum, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and in his hometown where, in 2013, the City Museum of Art opened its Onishi Tadao Memorial Hall. With work first selected for show at the Nitten in 1955, he held his first solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Takamatsu in 1958. There followed numerous and regular exhibitions and awards both in Japan and internationally. Works by the artist were purchased by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Imperial Household Agency.