Geisha and Samurai

In this work, I created a miniature, double-sided world unfolding beneath the branches of a blooming sakura.
​The obverse side captures an idyll: an elegant Geisha dancing with a fan and an imperturbable Samurai observing her. This scene embodies the Japanese principle of uniting beauty and strength, art and duty. On the reverse, a female figure is viewed through the shōji screens of a house in the pleasure quarter, creating an effect of mystery and contrast between the public performance and private life.
​To create this composition, I used an exceptional array of materials: mammoth tusk is stained with the natural dye Yashabushi. The fine colouring of the Geisha’s kimono, the Samurai’s armour, and the architectural elements is achieved with a complex set of Urushi lacquers, including Seshime-, Rose-, Roiro-, and Red Urushi.
​Special emphasis is placed on shimmer and texture: gold and silver Nashiji flakes and Fundame gold powder are used to define the patterns on the kimono and fans, while five petals on the Geisha’s kimono are inlaid with reddish mother-of-pearl.
Materials: Mammoth tusk, Yashabushi, Urushi lacquers (Seshime, Rose, Roiro), mother-of-pearl, gold and silver powder/flakes.
Size: 2 inches across, ½ inch thick.
2008. Russia, private collection.