Ohnishi Lacquerware has been operating since 1789, the year of the French Revolution. Noriko Ohnishi is the ninth generation owner of this historic store, which has produced and sold lacquerware, sometimes supplying its merchandise to the Japanese Imperial family. She knows everything about the tradition of urushi (lacquer) in and out.
This stunning wooden bowl is coated with layers of lacquer and pure gold. It can be enjoyed either as an artwork on display or for everyday use. The gold comes off gradually over several years (if you use it), which resonates with the Japanese aesthetics of transient nature of the world.
Ohnishi Sensei focuses on how the delicate brushwork in a circle amplifies the luminosity. "You need to get the urushi viscous just enough to make the gold stick on the surface, and the extremely fine and orderly brush strokes enable this beautiful shine," she explains.