A Mother-of-Pearl Lacquer Kodansu

This small portable kodansu (chest of drawers) is embellished with mother-of-pearl inlay, a sophisticated technique known as raden in Japanese. The finely carved flowers cover the kodansu’s surface. This design is deliberately raised in places to create visual depth and suggest a garden bursting with new life. The medley of soft colours (pinks, creams and ochres) are dotted with specks of ocean-green, resulting in iridescent effects. The three drawers, which increase in size as they descend, are likewise covered in auspicious flowers and feature carved handles in the shape of blooming rosebuds. The rest of the cabinet’s surface is covered in nashiji, a decorative ground made by embedding fine gold flakes beneath translucent lacquer. The kodansu’s surface therefore has a soft, evenly speckled glow.