Pansies

Blooming from autumn through spring, the pansy is an annual flower long cherished in Japan for its quiet charm. This Maki-e lacquer fountain pen reflects that season of renewal through a background gradation that moves from deep purple into Araishu (orange-red), suggesting the gentle warmth of spring emerging from lingering cold. Fine gold round powder is scattered across the surface, fixed with colored urushi lacquer, and softly burnished, like light settling in the air.

Across this ground, pansy blossoms appear in varied forms, each suggesting a different expression of the flower. They are shaped in takamaki-e, built with layers of raden, gold nashiji powder, gold round powder, and colored urushi, then polished to reveal depth and contour. Delicate gold lines applied with the ke-uchi technique define outlines, stamens, and stems, completing a composition where color, texture, and light come together in a quiet celebration of the season.