Reproduction of a lost traditional craft technique that creates all shapes from a single iron plate

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00204
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01070:Theory of art practice-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music
• Principal Investigator: AIHARA Kensaku 東京藝術大学, 学内共同利用施設等, 研究員 (50376894)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 彫刻 / 鍛金 / 文化財 / 修復 / 復元 / 彫金 / 工芸 / 非破壊調査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sobi Yamada developed the unique iron hammering technique to create three-dimensional shapes from a single sheet of iron during the Meiji period. However, this technique was not passed down to the present day. To reproduce this lost technique, we researched existing domestic and international reports and written materials, developed tools and equipment based on photographs of Sobi Yamada’s workshop, and chose a temperature and atmosphere that allowed us to reproduce the lost iron hammering technique. Preventing loss of mass because of oxide film during hot working as well as removing residual stresses generated during hammering were the critical points of the process.

Free Research Field

金属工芸　文化財　金属彫刻　　工芸史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

作品は残されているが、技法及び制作工程が現在に残されていない文化財は多い。今までの文化財・美術作品の研究で、製作技法に深く踏み込み、技法の再現を目指す研究は極めて少ない。奇跡の手技と評価される山田宗美の技法を再現できたことは、金属工芸界に新たな視点と可能性を供給できた。技法が定かになりつつあることで、有形文化財である作品と無形文化財である技法が一体化した新たな価値の創出が今後期待できる。