The Ornamental Arts of Japan, Vol. 2 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Ornamental Arts of Japan, Vol. 2 (Classic Reprint)At what period incrusted-work became a recognised branch of Japanese art industry it is out of our power to say; but there can be no question that it was adopted, though to a small extent, by the early lacquer artists, and is, accordingly, several centuries old. Its highest development was, however, reserved for recent times; and it is probably safe to say that the most important works have been executed in the present century; indeed, many of the purely modern specimens of the art are unquestionably the finest the world has seen of their class. The reason of this is obvious; the modern Japanese artists select designs in which their power of delineation is almost if not altogether unapproachable; and they render them in materials which readily admit of the most artistic and delicate manipulation, and of the most refined colour treatments.