Product Description

7504            A cream coloured lacquer flower vessel

Entitled: Nemuri (Sleep)

Seal: Masayo

Japan 20th century Shōwa period

Dimensions:  H. 5¾” x W.9″ x D.7½” (14 cm x 22.5 cm x 19 cm)

Tomobako (original box) inscribed:

Lid: Nemuri. Kanshitsu tsukuri kaki (Sleep. A flower vessel made of dry lacquer)

Lid interior: Masayo saku (made by Masayo)

Seal: Masayo

Masayo Koiwa (b.1917) was born in Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture and studied Wood Craft at the Miyagi Prefecture Industrial School. He studied lacquer under the established lacquer artist Yamazaki Kakutaro (1899-1984) aswell as his father Koiwa Komei (dates unknown).

In 1940, he began working at the department of Kōgei Shido Sho (Craft Art Guidance Center) of the Shokosho (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) and was later transferred to the Tokyo branch. In 1944, at the order of Daitoashō (Greater East Asia Ministry) he went sent to Burma as a temporary member of the lacquer craft technical training team for the Japan-Burma Manual Industry Exhibition.

Upon his return to Japan In 1946 Masayo worked at the Tohoku branch office of the Craft Art Guidance Center of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry until retiring in 1950. He continued working as an independent artist in Sendai.

Masayo exhibited at Nitten (Japan Fine Art Exhibition) in 1965, 1966 and 1967. His work won numerous awards at various venues such as the Miyagi Prefecture Exhibition and the Tohoku Region Art Exhibition. In 1972 he exhibited once more at Nitten and the following year won the Miyagi Prefecture Fine Art Encouragement Award.