根来大盤ねごろおおばん

  • 室町時代
  • 15c
  • 木製黒漆、朱漆塗
  • H-6.4 D-65
  • 所蔵
    伝東大寺伝来、松永耳庵旧蔵

室町時代 15世紀
高:6.5cm 径:63.2-64.0cm

ケヤキの大木から切り出した古材を,鑓鉋を用いて盤状に成形,円形に浅く刳り込んだ表面にのみ黒漆を塗布して下地を作り,朱漆の上塗りを施したもの。素木のままの部分は鑓鉋の痕跡が豪放な気分を一段と盛り上げている。本格的な漆工芸品としてしつらえられた品ではないが,年輪を重ねた木目の美しさとケヤキの重厚な感触が作者を魅了し機智に富んだ発想を促したのであろう。

しかも,頑健な素地であるからこそ,使い古されてもその持ち味はいささかも失われたりはしない。使い馴染んだぬくもりや親しみやすさが,後の使用者にも手離すことを惜しむ郷愁にも似た念を誘ったに違いない。

そのことを如実に物語っているのが,磨滅するたびに幾度も塗り重ねられた漆の艶やかな肌合いである。黒地と朱漆の上塗りとが渾然一体となって織りなすその筆舌に尽くし難い色調の妙こそが,俗に「根来」と称されるこの種の漆器の特質の一つである。幾星霜もの年月に耐えて使用されてきたこの盤の木肌と塗り肌の美しさは,まさにその真価を示すものと言えるであろう。

用途は詳らかではないが,そのことに拘泥する必要はない。おそらく多目的に使用されてきたことは間違いないであろう。愛用してきた所有者の面目躍如たるさまと酒宴の席でこの盤を囲み,愛でながら酒盃を交わしている人たちの姿が想い出される雅味尊ぶべき遺品である。

東大寺伝来の品とされてきたが,残念ながらその確証はない。(河田)

Catalogue Entry

Muromachi period, 15th century
Red lacquered wood
Height, 6.5cm; diameter, 63.2-64.0cm

Carved from a large piece of old keyaki (zelkova) wood, this tray was carved with a yariganna plane to form a circular shape with a shallow, carved-out form. The back was coated solely in black lacquer undercoating, while the front was coated in black lacquer and then given a layer of red lacquer. The areas where the plain wood is visible show traces of the planing process, and clearly the tray was created in a single unaffected process. This tray was not created as a decorative object, but the weighty effect of the beautiful wood grain of the tree rings was further enhanced by the knowledgeable hand of its carver.

The robust nature of its base wood may indeed be the reason that this tray has lost none of its special appeal as it has aged and been used. The long years of use have imbued the bowl with its own forms, its own sensibility, and these qualities grew as those who used the tray became attached to it, and prized it.

This is truly revealed in the beautiful, glossy surface of the many layers of lacquer that were applied to the bowl as it was defaced. The black ground of lacquer and the red top layer of lacquer have combined into a harmonious whole, and the rare quality of the color harmonies which are woven from these forms and are beyond description displays the characteristics of the lacquerware known as Negoro, as years of use have brought out the true beauty of the underlying wood and the worn layers of lacquer.

While the specific use of this tray cannot be determined, there is probably no need for such particular information. This tray was undoubtedly used for a variety of purposes throughout its life. Something about this impressive tray conveys a vivid sense of the appearance of its former owners, as we can imagine them placing an array of sake cups on the tray as they admired its surface.

Traditionally, this tray is said to have been from the Todaiji collection, but unfortunately no specific evidence supports this tradition. SK