Core Kyoto
Season 1 • Episode 13: Kyo-shikki: The Jet-black, Golden Beauty of Kyoto Lacquerware • Watch with subtitles
Episode 13: Kyo-shikki: The Jet-black, Golden Beauty of Kyoto Lacquerware
October 3, 2013 • 28 min
As demand for lacquerware grew in the political and cultural hub of Kyoto, artisans refined their designs and techniques with a distinctive approach to aesthetic beauty. This became kyo-shikki, or Kyoto-style lacquerware. The maki-e drawing technique uses sprinkled gold dust on a jet-black background to reproduce dazzling Kyoto scenes. Modern sensibilities combined with traditional techniques produce innovative pieces. Lacquer and gold dust engender the lavish world of this traditional craft.
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