Biography

     Imagining lacquer's endless possibilities from his Tokyo atelier, Jihei Murase  (b. 1957) is a third-generation lacquer artist equipped with the skills acquired from a lifetime of training and a deep understanding of traditional techniques. Murase's innovative curving methods and mastery of the vermillion-coated Negoro style have made the artist a favorite of collections, including the Victoria & Albert in London, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the National Museum of Modern Art, among others. Murase's affiliation with the tea ceremony is deeply connected with his knowledge of traditional techniques. Yet, the artist constantly transforms wood, inventing new and unique forms.

 

     Jihei Murase (1957) is the third-generation woodcraft and lacquer master with the Jihei name. He performs every stage of production himself; selecting the wood, turning the bases on the wheel, and applying the natural urushi lacquer. Murase continues the family’s close relationship, dating as early as the Edo Period (1603-1868), with the tea tradition through research into ceremonial utensils, and a unique Negoro-style that is ideally suited to the twenty-first century. Murase’s practice emphasizes the preservation of Japan’s fleeting virgin forests. His works make use of wood types with a fine grain, such as Chestnut, Zelkova, Cypress, Cherry, and Yakusugi Cedar.

 

Selected Collections
Art Fair, COLLECT London
Ippodo Gallery New York
Ippodo Gallery Tokyo
The National Museum of Modern Art Crafts (Tokyo, Japan)
Swiss Art Basel

Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom
Lecture at JAPAN House
Waco, Ginza, Tokyo

National Crafts Gallery, Ishikawa, Japan
Victoria & Albert Museum (London, United Kingdom)
Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA)
Yale University Art Gallery, Asian Art Collection (New Haven, CT)
The National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo, Japan)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY)

Works
  • Jihei Murase, 根来塗金輪寺 Lacquer Tea Caddy, 2019
    Jihei Murase
    根来塗金輪寺 Lacquer Tea Caddy, 2019
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Ancient Zelkova Hanging Vase, 2015
    Jihei Murase
    Ancient Zelkova Hanging Vase, 2015
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Checkered Tea Caddy, 2018
    Jihei Murase
    Checkered Tea Caddy, 2018
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Kazura-Oke (Small)
    Jihei Murase
    Kazura-Oke (Small)
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Flowering Quince-Shaped Nakatsugi Tea Container, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Flowering Quince-Shaped Nakatsugi Tea Container, 2022
    Lacquer
    $ 3,600.00
  • Jihei Murase, Hatchet-Shaved Silver Zelkova Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Hatchet-Shaved Silver Zelkova Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Black Negoro Standing Tray, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Black Negoro Standing Tray, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Black Negoro Three-Legged Herbal and Tea Container, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Black Negoro Three-Legged Herbal and Tea Container, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Carved-Flower Negoro Tray with Legs, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Carved-Flower Negoro Tray with Legs, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Copper Flower Vase, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Copper Flower Vase, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Copper Flower Vase, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Copper Flower Vase, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Corrugated Pale Indigo Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Corrugated Pale Indigo Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Lacquer
    $ 4,800.00
  • Jihei Murase, Furosaki Byobu screen, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Furosaki Byobu screen, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Furrowed Zelkova Water Jar, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Furrowed Zelkova Water Jar, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Hatchet-Shaved Silver Water Container, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Hatchet-Shaved Silver Water Container, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Hatchet-Shaved Zelkova Water Container, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Hatchet-Shaved Zelkova Water Container, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Hatchet-Shaved Zelkova Water Container, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Hatchet-Shaved Zelkova Water Container, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Mulberry Tea Scoop, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Mulberry Tea Scoop, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Negoro Bottlenecked Vase - Small, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Negoro Bottlenecked Vase - Small, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Negoro Flower-Shaped Tray, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Negoro Flower-Shaped Tray, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Negoro Hatchet-Shaved Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Negoro Hatchet-Shaved Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Negoro Herbal and Tea Container, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Negoro Herbal and Tea Container, 2022
    Lacquer
    $ 3,500.00
  • Jihei Murase, Negoro Sake Set - Bottle, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Negoro Sake Set - Bottle, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Negoro Standing Tray, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Negoro Standing Tray, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Negoro Sun Tray, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Negoro Sun Tray, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Suri-Urushi Hatchet-Shaved Silver Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Suri-Urushi Hatchet-Shaved Silver Nakatsugi Tea Caddy, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Three-Legged Negoro Herbal and Tea Container, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Three-Legged Negoro Herbal and Tea Container, 2022
    Lacquer
    $ 4,500.00
  • Jihei Murase, Tray Negoro Style, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Tray Negoro Style, 2022
    Lacquer
  • Jihei Murase, Varnished Black Water Vessel, 2022
    Jihei Murase
    Varnished Black Water Vessel, 2022
    Lacquer
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