Kintsugi, also known as kintsukuroi , is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with urushi lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. The method is similar to the maki-e technique. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.
Repair work (right) on Mishima ware hakeme-type tea bowl with kintsugi gold lacquer, 16th century
Small repair (top) on Nabeshima ware dish with hollyhock design, over-glaze enamel, 18th century, Edo period
Nanking reticulated basket, c. 1750, mended with metal staples
Goryeo wine ewer with gold lacquer repair. It was repaired by a Japanese collector in the early 20th century.
Lacquerware is a Japanese craft with a wide range of fine and decorative arts, as lacquer has been used in urushi-e, prints, and on a wide variety of objects from Buddha statues to bento boxes for food.
Writing lacquer box with Irises at Yatsuhashi, by Ogata Kōrin, Edo period (National Treasure)
Inro in maki-e lacquer, Edo period, 18th century
Detailed view of a lacquer panel of the Tamamushi Shrine from the Asuka period, 7th century (National Treasure)
Tebako (Cosmetic box) Design of wheels-in-stream in maki-e lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay, Heian period, 12th century, National Treasure
