Dream Pen Urushi-e: Persimmon Tree

A Hybrid Worldview

There are many masterpieces in the history of Japanese art, and learning about the stories behind each work will deepen your interest. In an effort to share these layered stories with the rest of the world, Wancher is unveiling the Urushi-e collection, which is a highly specialized technique that combines traditional ink painting and detailed Urushi craftwork.

Urushi-e (Lacquer Painting)

Maki-e is a technique that involves painting with translucent lacquer and sprinkling colored powder, such as gold or silver powder, to make the pattern stand out. On the other hand, the "Urushi-e" is a technique that requires a high level of skill as the designs become more delicate, in which pigments are mixed with lacquer.

Design Inspiration

This design is based on the popular and historically significant Persimmon Screen (Kakizu), which is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Through the rich legacy of Japanese lacquer (Urushi), we were able to depict the same sophisticated yet sincere appreciation for nature on this fountain pen.

The Persimmon Screen was originally created by Hoichi Sakai, a leading figure in Japanese art due to his bold compositions. Similarly, this fountain pen is completely handcrafted, and it evokes the same warmth of Hoichi Sakai's artwork through the intricate details from its body all the way to the Urushi-e application on the grip itself.

History of Japanese painting

The specific ink painting style that inspired this collection originated in China before being introduced to Japan in the late 12th Century by traveling Zen monks. While Japan had its ink-based art prior to this, it was considered juvenile in comparison to the much more detailed and complex artwork hailing from China. This sparked an evolution in Japanese art, forming the foundation of what would be a golden period in Japan's art history.

18K Nib

All Urushi-e pens come with an 18K gold nib to enhance your writing experience and the astonishing appearance of the traditional Maki-e art on this pen.

Natural Raw Urushi

All fountain pens in this series are applied using natural Urushi which by characteristic has slightly less shine. Every early summer, raw Urushi is gathered from the deciduous tree known as "Urushinoki". This valuable plant yields only about 100-300 grams of raw Urushi liquid per year from each tree.

Shape & Measurement

Specifications

Material: Ebonite

Art: Urushi-e

Filling mechanism: Converter or Cartridge (European International Standard)

Nib: #6 Wancher 18K gold & Rhodium-plated

Feed: Plastic only

Packaging

Traditional Japanese Wooden Box + Pen Kimono + Instructional Materials + Converter + Cartridge