nashiji

nashiji, in Japanese lacquerwork, form of maki-e (q.v.) that is frequently employed for the background of a pattern. Gold or silver flakes called nashiji-ko are sprinkled onto the surface of the object (excluding the design), on which lacquer has been applied. Nashiji lacquer is then applied and burnished with charcoal, so that the gold or silver can be seen through the lacquer. The name nashiji is thought to have originated in the resemblance that the lacquer bears to the skin of a Japanese pear, nashi.

The technique flourished in the Muromachi period (1338–1573). During the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1574–1600), variations of the technique were developed, such as e-nashiji, in which nashiji is applied to parts of the design. Later, in the Tokugawa period (1603–1867), more variations were devised—muranashi-ji, for example, in which gold or silver flakes are sprinkled thickly in some parts and lightly in others to depict clouds or to create an irregular effect in the design.