Independence of Urushi-e

Message from Taiwa Matsuoka
(1) Atelier fine-arts magazine, January 1935 issue

Urushi-e is an Urushi-based painting. The term applies much the same way that the term “oil painting” describes the use of oil-based paints. The reason for declaring the “independence of Urushi-e” arises from the common perception that craft-oriented maki-e, or a sprinkled picture decoration, comes to one’s mind when the term Urushi-e is mentioned. This is simply because there have been hardly any Urushi-e artworks in the past.

Urushi-e is an Urushi-based painting. The term applies much the same way that the term “oil painting” describes the use of oil-based paints. The reason for declaring the “independence of Urushi-e” arises from the common perception that craft-oriented maki-e, or a sprinkled picture decoration, comes to one’s mind when the term Urushi-e is mentioned. This is simply because there have been hardly any Urushi-e artworks in the past.

If examined further, one can find Urushi-e in its pure form among the fine arts, but such artworks have not succeeded in enhancing the advantages of Urushi when compared to inkbrush artworks painted on paper and silk materials. I had sixteen pieces of my Urushi-e artworks exhibited for four days at the Japan Industrial Club, beginning on November 11 (1934). The exhibit was a summation of a decade of my work. It is uncertain whether the exhibit will trigger a sensation in the artistic future in Japan, however, I feel confident about the positive feedback I’ve received. My creative works stand as artworks in an independent field. The following descriptions outline the uniqueness of my work while making comparisons to techniques in other fields of artistic endeavor.

It is particularly appropriate that Urushi-e has its origin in Japan. Urushi-e has great potential to grow as a form of fine art, given its rich local characteristics. As widely known, Urushi is a product only seen in Asia, and today Japan still produces the highest-quality Urushi.

The dried coat of Urushi lacquer withstands very strong acidity, and alkaloids will not corrode an Urushi-coated surface. Coated Urushi can be heat resistant up to approximately 572°F, as well as having moderate elasticity and strong adhesion. It is a proven scientific fact that Urushi is in a league of its own as the superior paint. When the Urushi craftworks from the era of the Han Dynasty were recently discovered, and when it was found that no significant changes occurred to their coated surfaces, the world was stunned. Urushi paints are made of transparent, amber-colored Urushi liquid mixed with the colorants that are suitable for Urushi. Available colors include red, vermilion, orange, yellow, green, blue, brown, midnight blue (dark indigo), silver gray, white and black. Mineral-based stable colors are available as well. Additionally, there are a few durable lake colors, and these colors provide ample possibilities to create an array of colors. It is easy to create fifty to sixty colors for Urushi-e. Various gold powders also go well with Urushi, and new techniques for the application of traditional maki-e (gold and silver lacquering artwork) methods should be explored as well.

One thing we have to keep in mind is color development when using Urushi paints. When dried, Urushi will develop an austere tone. One cannot attain a pure white color with Urushi, even though that is easy with oil paint. When seen by itself, it is ivory white, but by comparison with other colors it is possible to increase the apparent whiteness of the color. Other colors also develop a somewhat tranquil tone, lending a certain austerity to the artwork. I think this is the reason Urushi-e fits in well as part of the interior coordination of a Japanese or Western-style room. The darkness of Urushi tone will fade gradually over time, while the brightness will increase as the Urushi coating regains its transparency.

Painting techniques are rather complicated so it isn’t possible to describe all of them here. Simply keep in mind that Urushi paints have thicker viscosity than oil paints do. Techniques shared with oil painting include the use of hard brushes. With Urushi-e, the finished painting is dried in a drying room. Commonly, one humidifies the interior of a shelved closet called a muro (a humidified room), which is used to achieve higher humidity. The rainy season (early summer in Japan) has the appropriate temperature and humidity for the process of drying Urushi, but the closet device can maintain a simulated condition throughout the year. The other drying method is known as high-temperature hardening. This method hardens Urushi at a temperature of approximately 212° to 302°F, and provides a fast drying process that forms a durable inner film. However, it cannot be used other than for artworks painted on metal sheets. In the old days, armor (used as protective gear for battles) commonly used the high-temperature hardening method, which was referred to as baked Urushi.

Subsequent to drying, there is another critical process of finishing. This process is called polishing or scraping. When the word “polishing” is mentioned, it might sound like a craftwork process. When Urushi is dried, there is a tendency for the surface to become even darker, on top of the fact that colorants tend to settle into the lower layer. Consequently, the surface has the stronger brown color of Urushi but less colorant. Polishing will remove the surface layer and smooth it out so that the original tones at the time of painting can be achieved. However, it is possible to finish without polishing. At times it can be painted to retouch the work after polishing, though this process requires considerably more technical effort.

The emphasis at this point is the eternally stable nature of Urushi-e in comparison to the instability of oil paintings. This is also a warning for fine artists who face the fate of oil painting due to its unsuitability for the Japanese climate and the use of impure colorants. Would fine artists finally find materials that pose no anxiety other than those mixed by the artists themselves? Humidity and mold would in time destroy a Japanese oil painting. How does one view the tar-colored tones of old paintings? While Urushi-e will brighten its tone as it ages, regaining the tone it had when it was first painted, the tones of other paintings will become darker and eventually lose their original images. Again, this is one of the reasons Urushi-e must thrive in the future of Japanese arts as one of the newly emerging forms of fine art. Thus the “independence of Urushi-e” must be declared.