Rippling veins of gold and wisps of shimmering wind decorate this incredible kanshitsu lacquered box by Hattori Shunsho. Thick Yogai mother of pearl covers the upper surface over which ripples of thick gold shimmer. On the sides silver and gold tendrils undulate over a field of powdered gold on highly polished black. It is 37.5 x 21.5 x 21 cm (15 x 8-1/2 x 8-1/4 inches) and in overall excellent condition, with some minor tarnishing to the silver.
Hattori Shunshō (1943–2018) was born in Kyoto, and studied under leading lacquer masters Uehara Kiyoshi and Banura Shōgo. In 1963, he was first accepted into the Nitten Exhibition, marking the beginning of a distinguished career. He continued to exhibit his work at Nitten and other prestigious exhibitions, earning many accolades. He refined his skills by traveling across Europe, the United States, China, and South Korea. From 1970 to 1978, he was an active member of Forme, a collective of young Kyoto-based lacquer artists. Until the 1980s, his work primarily consisted of two-dimensional lacquer panels. However, he later shifted his focus toward crafting decorative shelves and boxes. His signature style—incorporating the iridescent brilliance of raden (mother-of-pearl, particularly yōgai)—became a defining feature of his later works. In 1995 (Heisei 7), he had an audience with Pope John Paul II and presented him with a lacquered bookstand. In 2004, he created furnishings for the state guest room of the Kyoto State Guest House. At the time of his passing, he served as a counselor for Nitten, an executive director of the Nikko Association, and a member of the Kyoto Prefectural Craft Artists’ Association, the Kyoto Lacquer Artists’ Association, and Sōkōkai.
Public Collections: Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto City Kyocera Museum, Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Musuem, Kyoto International Foundation, Chanoyu museum (Hida Takayama), Sunritz Hattori Museum of Arts, Denver Art Museum.
