Mazarin Chest decoration techniques - Fusezaishiki - 加飾技法：伏せ彩色

The eyes of the dragons and phoenixes on the ogival cartouches of the interior and exterior of the lid are executed in a technique known as fusezaishiki, the main feature of which is the use of a glass-like bead. Black lacquer, red lacquer and silver maki-e were applied to the back of this to depict the detailed features of the eye, and were then covered with silver foil.

蓋裏表の楕円形カートーシェに配された龍と鳳凰の目にはガラスに似た玉を用いる伏せ彩色という技法が使われています。その裏に黒漆、朱漆、銀の蒔絵が施され、目玉の細部を描いています。そこをさらに銀の薄板が覆っています。

Decoration techniques: maki-e and tsukegaki - 加飾技法：蒔絵と付描

Translated directly, maki-e means 'sprinkled picture'. Maki-e involves the application of lacquer followed by the sprinkling on of metal powders of different colours, shapes and degrees of fineness. In this example, the patterned robes of the figures in the boat have been created using tsukegaki, a technique whereby fine maki-e lines are drawn on top of a previously applied maki-e ground. Facial features have been skilfully picked out in black and red lacquer.

蒔絵とは直訳すると「蒔いた絵」という意味です。漆を塗った後、色、形、粒子の大きさの異なる金属粉を蒔く技法です。船の人物の衣服の模様には、蒔絵地の上にさらに蒔絵の細線を入れる付描という技法が使われています。顔の表情が黒と朱漆で巧みに描写されています。

Decoration techniques: takamaki-e and kirikane - 加飾技法：高蒔絵と切金

Many variations of the basic maki-e technique have been used on the Mazarin Chest. Takamaki-e ('raised sprinkled picture') decoration has been used to create the tree trunk that features in this image. The trunk was built up and modelled in low relief using a mixture of lacquer and fine clay prior to being sprinkled with gold powder. It can be seen how small pieces of gold and silver foil known as kirikane ('cut gold / metal') were applied to add variety and texture. The silver kirikane has suffered from the effects of raised relative humidity and pollutants, and the corrosion products that have formed as a result have crept out over adjacent gold surfaces.

マザラン･チェストには幾種類かの蒔絵の技法が使われています。この写真の木の幹は高蒔絵技法で描かれています。漆ときめの細かい粘土を混ぜて低く盛り上げたところに金粉が蒔かれています。さらに切金という金銀の薄板の小片が置かれ、全体にアクセントを加えています。銀の切金は相対湿度の上昇と汚染物質により錆化し、その結果生じた腐食性生成物が隣接の金部分まで浸食しています。

Mazarin Chest decoration techniques: raden, hyomon and kanagai - 加飾技法：螺鈿、平文、金貝

The borders on the front, sides and lid exterior of the Mazarin Chest consist of maki-e decoration combined with mother-of-pearl (raden) and metal foil (hyomon and kanagai) inlay. Mother-of-pearl has been used for the floral roundels in the wide, central band and along its two edges. Hyomon, which refers to the application of thick foil, has been used for the wheel roundels in the central band and for the zigzag band below, in both cases executed in silver. Kanagai refers to the application of thin foil such as that used for the chequered gold banding above.

マザラン･チェストの正面、側面、蓋表の界線（ボーダー）には、蒔絵と、螺鈿と金属の薄板（平文と金貝）とが組合わせて使われています。螺鈿は、幅の広い中央の帯の唐草文、そしてその両側にあしらわれています。平文は厚い金属の薄板を貼り付ける技法で、銀の平文が中央の帯の車輪文と、その下の紗綾形文の帯に使われています。金貝は上の帯の金の石畳文に見られるような、薄い金属の薄板を貼り付ける技法です。

Metal foil inlay usually involves the cutting to shape of metal foil prior to its application to a flat lacquer surface. This technique was used for the wheel roundels of the central band. For the geometric gold and silver bands above and below, however, a novel technique with no known precedent was employed. Probably in order to speed up the manufacturing process, uncut strips of gold and silver were applied to the surface and, before the adhesive had fully hardened, the patterns were cut out using a knife and a ruler.

平文、金貝は金属の薄板を文様に切り取って平らな漆面に貼り付ける技法で、中央の帯の車輪文に使われています。この上下にある金と銀の幾何学文は技法的に前例のないもので、金や銀の板を表面に貼り付け、接着剤がすっかり乾く前に、刃物と定規を使って文様を切り抜くという新技法です。作業時間の短縮のために使われたと思われます。

Decoration techniques: marusen, yorisen, ginbyo and hikkaki - 加飾技法：丸線、縒線、銀鋲、引掻き

Short lengths of untwisted (marusen) and twisted (yorisen) gold and silver wire have been used for the railings and other details of buildings, bridges and boats, and also in the representation of natural features such as pine needles. Both marusen and yorisen are visible in this image, as is the use of silver sheet cut to shape to represent roof ridges. Small silver rivets (ginbyo) on the pine branches represent dew. These have been used extensively on many parts of the chest. Another technique seen in this image is hikkaki, meaning 'to scratch away'. This has been used on the windows of the building, which have been made to appear to glow through the application of transparent pale yellow lacquer (nashiji urushi).

金銀の線を縒らないものが丸線、縒ったものが縒線です。それらを短く切ったものが、欄干、建造物、橋、船などの細部や松葉などの自然描写に使われています。この写真では丸線と縒線の両方の使用が見られるほか、屋根の棟のかたちに切り取られた銀板が貼り付けられています。松の枝に付いた露は小さな銀鋲で表されています。銀鋲はチェストの各所で広範囲に使われています。さらに「削り落とす」という意味の引掻きという技法が、建物の窓のところに使われ、施された透明な梨地漆を通して仄々とした光の効果を出しています。

Decoration techniques: chokin - 装飾技法：彫金

The gold deer, wild boar and birds applied to the surface of the Mazarin Chest were created by beating out thin copper sheet, chasing in fine-line detailing and then gilding. The silver animals were beaten out from sheet silver, which has tarnished black. This technique, which was also used to make the small metal flowers that appear in various parts of the design of the chest, is called chokin (‘carved gold / metal’). The metal components are fixed in place with shitaji foundation (lacquer mixed with clay).

金の鹿、猪、鳥は、打ち出した薄い銅板に細線で細部を彫り、それに金鍍金を施す技法で表されています。銀の動物は銀板を打ち出したもので、それが錆化により黒く見えます。この技法は彫金と呼ばれ、チェストの各所に現れる小さな金属の花の表現にも使われています。金属部分は漆と粘土を混ぜた下地で固定されています。

Mazarin Chest decoration techniques: metal mounts - 加飾技法：金具

The lock-plate and corner mounts of the Mazarin Chest are made of gilded copper partially coloured with sumi ink (soot back mixed with animal glue).

マザラン･チェストの鍵金具と隅金具は銅製の金鍍金で、一部分に墨（煤に膠を混ぜたもの）が差してあります。