A boxed set of five elevated serving trays in red lacquer decorated with floral motifs in black by Urushi-legend Banura Shogo enclosed in the original tiered and signed wooden box titled Natsu no mi Kashiki (Serving Dishes with Summer Theme).Each is roughly 21.5 cm (8-1/2 inches) diameter, 4.5 cm (2 inches) tall and all are in excellent condition, retaining their original white silk lined blue cloth pouches.
Banura Shogo (1901-1982) was born in Nanao, Ishikawa prefecture, and studied lacquer in the Wajima tradtion.In 1925 he moved to Kyoto.It was a time of great interest in ancient things, forgotten styles, and revival of lost techniques.Together with Okumura Kyuka he established a research group dedicated to the study and revival of lacquer techniques.He exhibited with the Bunten (Teiten/Nitten) National Art Exhibition and was first awarded there in 1930 for a cabinet, and in 1936 for a screen at the same venue.The following year would see his work garner a prize at the Great Paris Exhibition.Post war he would establish the group Sojinsha which would evolve into Shugenkai in the 1950s.In 1963 e would be granted the Zosho prize from the Japan Art Academy.Ever promoting the field of lacquer, he served as chairman of the Kyoto Shitsugeika Kyokai (Kyoto Association of Lacquer Artists) and was named an Artist of Merit by Kyoto city for his contribution to the arts and crafts in 1972, nad by Kyoto prefecture in 1974.In 1981 this cumlminated wit hteh Order of the Rising Sun , one of the highest national honors for an artist in Japan.He died the following year.Works by him are held in the collections of: The Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, The Tokyo Museum of Modern Art, The Kyoto Shinkin Bank Musuem, Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine as well as numerous private collections.
