Object Description
Japanese Komai iron plaque adorned with silver and gold inlays
Japanese, late 19th Century
Frame: Height 43.5cm, width 50.5cm, depth 4cm
Plaque: Height 33cm, width 40cm, depth 0.5cm
Komai metalwork refers to a form of damascening, that is laying one metal into another. In Japanese Komai work, fine metals such as gold and silver are inlaid into iron plaques, creating wonderfully delicate pictorial compositions. The present plaque features a black patinated iron plaque inlaid with silver and gold arranged into a landscape composition with distant mountain and nearby farms. The plaque is contained within a wooden frame and is a wonderful example of Meiji period art and design.