Two Ways of Decorating Metal
Metal can be decorated by working on its surface or by adding other materials to it. Japanese craftspeople used both approaches with great refinement. In inlay (zogan), grooves or textured areas are cut into one metal, and another metal, usually softer or differently colored, is pressed or hammered in. In cloisonne (shippo), thin metal strips are fixed to a base to form small compartments, and these are filled with colored glass paste that is then fired and polished.
Both techniques produce a picture or pattern that sits flush with the surface. Both also reward patience: a few square inches can take a long time, and mistakes are hard to correct.
Inlay and the Sword Fittings
Metal inlay has a long history in Japan, and one of its richest uses was on the fittings of swords. A Japanese sword is more than a blade. The guard (tsuba), the small pommel and collar pieces (fuchi-kashira), the grip ornaments (menuki) and other fittings were made separately, often by specialists other than the swordsmith. During the Edo period, a long era of relative peace, these fittings became a showcase for decorative skill. Making them was a distinct trade, and families and workshops developed recognizable styles.
Metalworkers favored alloys with distinctive colors. Two are especially well known.
- Shakudo is an alloy of copper with a small amount of gold, which is treated to produce a deep blue-black patina.
- Shibuichi is an alloy of copper and silver, which takes on soft gray tones.
Inlays of gold, silver and copper stand out against these dark grounds. Designs often drew on nature, seasonal flowers, birds, insects, waves, and scenes from literature or legend. Because a guard is small and held close, details were made to be inspected, and a good piece rewards close looking. This is a cultural description of craftsmanship; the topic of the blades themselves belongs more to Japanese swordsmithing.
Two inlay techniques are often mentioned. In one, fine cross-hatching is cut into iron so that thin gold or silver foil can be pressed on and gripped. In another, a deeper channel is carved and filled with thicker metal that is then hammered and filed flush. The details vary by workshop and period, and names for the sub-styles differ.
Cloisonne: Enamel in Cells
The Japanese word for cloisonne, shippo, is commonly connected with the “seven treasures” of Buddhist writing, a list of precious materials that the colored glass was thought to resemble. Enameling reached Japan from the continent in early periods, and some early examples survive as small fittings and decorations in temples and elite houses. For a long time enamel remained a relatively small craft, used for fine details such as door pulls and nail covers.
The process, broadly, runs as follows:
- A base shape, often copper or another metal, is made.
- Thin wire or ribbon is bent to follow the design and fixed to the surface to form cells.
- Powdered glass mixed with water is laid into each cell, one color at a time.
- The piece is fired so the glass melts and fuses, and the process is repeated because the glass shrinks.
- The surface is ground flat and polished until the wires and colors form a smooth surface.
Each step requires control. Color depends on the metal oxides in the glass and on firing temperature, and a piece may pass through the kiln many times.
The Meiji Transformation
The nineteenth century changed the trade dramatically. After Japan opened to foreign contact and the Meiji government came to power, the wearing of swords was restricted, and demand for sword fittings fell sharply. Many metalworkers had to find new customers. Some turned to decorative objects for export, such as vases, incense burners, boxes, panels and pieces made for international exhibitions, where Japanese craft drew considerable admiration. This is part of the wider story of Meiji modernization and its effect on traditional arts, and of Japonisme influence in the West.
Cloisonne grew quickly in this period, with workshops in regions such as the area around Nagoya becoming known for it. Makers also developed a variation in which the wires are removed before the final firing and polishing, so that colors meet without visible metal lines and look more like painting. Such wireless pieces allow soft gradations, and they remain a distinctive part of Japanese enamel work. Because details and dates are debated by specialists, it is safest to say that the later nineteenth century was an era of experiment and growth.
Motifs and Taste
Whether on a sword guard or on a vase, motifs often come from the same visual vocabulary as painting and textiles: cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, cranes, dragons and waves. Compositions often leave areas empty, trusting the dark metal ground to suggest depth in the way ink painting uses blank paper. Cloisonne pieces made for export sometimes show denser decoration with brighter colors, reflecting the tastes of overseas buyers.
Looking at a Piece
If you see an old piece in a museum, a few questions help. Is the line crisp and even? Do the colors sit in their cells without bleeding? Does the inlay lie perfectly flush, or can you feel an edge? Does the design suit the shape of the object? These are the qualities that makers of the past cared about, and they apply equally to modern work. Anyone drawn to learn the craft should do so under qualified teachers, since kilns, acids and hot metal carry real risks.