Japanese Lacquer. 249 
which is frequently forged, was generally accompanied by his 
seal in pottery ; sometimes the seal would appear without the 
signature. 
The work of the Shunsho school, which excelled in togidashi 
lacquer, is highly esteemed. The founder of the school, Yama- 
moto Shunsho, lived in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth 
centuries. It is difficult to convey by mere description the 
excellence of a choice specimen of this artist’s work; the silki- 
ness and mirror-like brilliancy of its surface, the richness of the 
gold, and the delicacy of execution are simply marvellous. His 
famous pupil, Nagahide, maintained the highest tradition of the 
school, but his works are unfortunately scarce. Marcus Huish 
describes Shunsho’s work as the ne plus ultra of mechanical per- 
fection. Another distinguished lacquerer, Shoami, also excelled 
in togidashi, and there is little to choose between his work and 
that of the Shunshos. 
The school of Koma has produced some of the very choicest 
specimens of lacquer. It was originally founded in the early 
seventeenth century, but languished somewhat until it was 
revived a century later by the celebrated Koma Kwansai. This 
school, in common with others, attained its zenith about the 
latter period. 
The Kajikawas are perhaps the best known of all the great 
lacquerers of Japan. Ernest Hart states that their work is 
“rarely other than good,” but unfortunately a lot of very in- 
ferior work bears their signature ; this, however, must not be 
allowed to detract from the supreme excellence of their finest 
efforts. The first Kajikawa, in the particular style he favoured, 
is, I think, without a rival; in fine specimens his giobu nashiji 
will glisten like gems. He also inlaid some of his work with 
gold and silver, a comparatively easy operation in metal work 
where the hammer can be used, but in lacquer it requires the 
most delicate manipulation. One peculiarity of his which 
deserves special notice is working the eddies of water and the 
hairy tails of animals into the form of the single, double, and 
treble mitsu tomoye, an heraldic badge formed of three comma- 
shaped figures arranged in a circle. The difficulty of such an 
operation with an intractable medium like lacquer is extreme. 
The later Kajikawas produced very fine work all through the last 
century, but so far as I can see they never rivalled the founder 
of the school. 
I have mentioned only the names of the best known lacquerers, 
_ those with whom the student in Japanese art must be familiar. 
There are many others, such as Soyetsu and Jokasai, who have 
produced work of the highest quality, but it is no light task to 
read through a list of Japanese artists ; so for your sake and my 
own I refrain. 
