A tortoiseshell box decorated in lacquer with sea animals and shells

The box used for this work is French, 19th century, 9 x 4 cm

Tomizo Saratani was born in Kyoto and has spent his life working on traditional Japanese lacquer (urushi). After his studies under various teachers, in 1975 he moved to Vienna as an instructor and restorer for the MAK - the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts - where he supervised the restorations of lacquered furniture in Austrian public collections for eight years. He then worked as lacquer restorer and netsuke artist in London, Chicago and his hometown in Hokkaido and in 2003 he decided to dedicate himself solely to his original works.
The subjects Tomizo picks are very often animals, which he is able to render with impressive naturalism.