The Japanese Collection - Lacquer

The Japanese lacquer collection amassed by Denys Eyre Bower and on display at the Castle, is both vast and beautiful.  Denys's collection is particularly interesting for a number of reasons.  Most of the objects were acquired from the break up of the great 19th and early 20th century collections so give an insight into the tastes of an earlier era.  Denys was comparatively uninterested in names and signatures and so was drawn to pieces based on his excellent eye for quality and a search for originality (though not always condition), rather than a keen search for a specific lacquerer or family of lacquerers.  He was able to buy some magnificent examples, often just happening to be in the right place at the right time.

The collection spans the late Momoyama, Edo and Meiji periods, the 17th to 20th centuries, with a great selection of object types for both the domestic and export market.  Objects range from tea caddies (natsume) to writing boxes (suzuribako) and from cabinets and picnic sets (sagejubako) to simple boxes (kogo).  The collection demonstrates fine examples of the intricate and skillful lacquering process.

The display is complemented by a book written specifically about Denys's collection, featuring more than one hundred of the most interesting pieces ("Japanese Lacquer, The Denys Eyre Bower Collection", Joe Earle, 2000, now only £20) which is available in the Castle shop.