The Art of Japanese Cloisonne Enamel

Book excerpt: This book provides a detailed history of Japanese cloisonne enamel and the development of its many technical varieties. Part One presents the 400-year history and context of Japanese enamels from their beginnings around 1600, covering the crucial decades of the late 19th and early 20th centuries extensively. Part Two is organized by individual technique and categorizes and discusses the many variations of cloisonne enamel developed in Japan. Integrated into both parts are biographies of many cloisonne masters along with discussions of the technical and scientific underpinnings of the craft. The work is complemented by 32 color plates with 128 images, an extensive glossary, several appendices, an extensive bibliography and a full index.