Hot-water ewer

This ewer used for hot water exemplifies the Japanese lacquer technique known as Negoro, whereby the artist covers a carved wooden core with black lacquer, allows it to dry, and then applies red lacquer. Over time and with use, the red lacquer on the surface is worn away to reveal the black lacquer beneath, an aspect of Negoro lacquer works that is beloved in Japan. Although modest forms often characterize the earliest Negoro lacquers, some later examples can be strikingly intricate. The design for this ewer, for example, includes multiple floral projections, repeated cord motifs, and a narrow, elegantly curved spout. The companion to this ewer is in the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.