Kōbon or incense tray in a square form. Ornamented with a design of a peacock. Of red,orange,navy blue and beige layered lacquers, carved in chōshitsu technique. With original signed box,
Otomaru Kōdō was born in Takamatsu and began studying chūshitsu or carved-lacquer in 1915. In 1932, he first exhibited at the Imperial Art Exhibitions with the 13th Teiten, afterwards continuing to exhibit regularly at the Teiten, the Shin-Bunten and, after the Pacific War, at the Nitten. In 1955, he was designated Jūyō Mukei Bunkazai or Important Intangible Cultural Asset (commonly referred to as Ningen Kokuhō or Living National Treasure) for the chūshitsu technique. His work is in the collections of many museums in Japan, including the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art.
A great design and beautiful example of Otomaru Kōdō's early, pre-war work.
