Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 7.djvu/386

 boxes (suzuri-bako), which with book-stands (shodana) and medicine-boxes (inro) have in all ages been considered deserving of the makiye-shi's highest skill. Thus it often happens that the decoration on the outside of a bunko or a suzuri-bako is not nearly so rich and elaborate as that on the inside of the lid. At first sight such a distribution of skill seems a mere caprice of luxury; but the logic of the decoration becomes evident by reflecting that when these boxes are in use, the lids are always removed and placed with their faces downwards on the mats, so that the decoration on the reverse side is chiefly seen. Nevertheless it is an inviolable rule that every part of a fine lacquer object must show beautiful and highly finished work, whether it be an external or an internal part.

As for the process of applying a decorative design, the object first receives all the treatment, as already described, necessary to produce a perfectly finished ground, and upon the latter the makiye-shi sketches the design, working with fine brushes and a paste of white lead. Having thus obtained an outline drawing, he fills in the details with gold and colours, superposes a coat of translucid lacquer, and finally subjects the whole to careful polishing. If parts of the design are to be in relief (taka-makiye), a putty is used for foundation. It consists of black-lacquer, white lead, camphor, and lampblack, and after being laid on the surface of the object, it receives the necessary modelling, is polished with charcoal, and thus enters into the field for the decorative scheme. No special difficulty attends the taka-makiye process, and the results produced are wonderfully rich and effective. Many connoisseurs, however, will find at least equal beauty in fine