Notes on chokin (Japanese metalwork technique)

[wombat1138]

Re-introduction: a discussion on eBay introduced the term "chokin" and used it to describe a specific variant of Japanese mixed-metal inlay that was originally used to decorate Buddhist temples.

Choukin (with a long vowel) = 彫金 , the generic art of engraving, carving, or otherwise decoratively cutting into the surface of metal.

Some Japanese antiques with the same general appearance initially described for "chokin"-- silver-plated copper background, mixed-metal (raised?) decorations-- actually have backgrounds of solid silver. Unfortunately, this technique is not given a specific name by the antique dealers listing them, or at best are called "mixed metal work" or one of the previously-mentioned names, such as "silver, gold, and copper Shakudo". There are other antiques listings that describe metal-on-lacquer decor as "chokin".

The V&A Museum has the following infoblurb (w/ correct identification of shakudo as a material rather than a technique):

The Mazarin Chest (detail), Japan, About 1640
Wood, black lacquer with gold and silver hiramaki-e and takamaki-e lacquer, detailing in gold, silver and shibuichi, border inlaid with shell and gilded shakudo fittings
Museum no. 412:1-1882

Decoration techniques of the Mazarin Chest: Chokin
The applied deer, wild boar and birds were created by beating out the shape of the animal from thin copper sheet, chasing fine-line details and then gilding. This technique is called chokin.

Splatdown from JAANUS; emphasis added:

choukin　彫金

CATEGORY:　art history / crafts

　
Chasing. Carving patterns or letters with a chisel on metal work. A common technique is nanako-uchi 魚々子打 (fish-roe engraving) in which fine granulation is produced with a round-headed chisel. The effect is usually used as a ground pattern. Introduced from Persia to China in the early Tang period, it was first seen in Japan in the early Nara period with examples in the *Shousouin 正倉院 collection. *kebori 毛彫, hair-line carving with a sharp V or U shaped chisel, is another basic technique. In the Yayoi period, some bell-shape bronzes doutaku 銅鐸 employed this technique, and in the Kofun period it was used for harnesses and arms. In the Asuka period, it was used for images of Buddha and Buddhist altar fittings. In the Nara period, representative kebori included the lotus petal pedestal of the Great Buddha at Toudaiji 東大寺. In keribori 蹴彫 (kicking engraving), a double-edged chisel is weilded in an upright posture to make an extended, delicate line with wedge-shaped notches. In the Heian period it was widely used, especially for kyouzou 鏡像 (a reflected image). Sukibori 鋤彫 (plow carving), also called sukidashibori 鋤出彫 (plowed out carving), uses a chisel held obliquely to plow the surface to create relief patterns. Takanikubori 高肉彫 (high relief carving), may be done by leaving part of the pattern uncarved and carving other parts deeply to create a sense of volume, by indenting a metal sheet from the back and carve sections on the front side, or by making patterns separately and adding inlay. Usually gilt or inlaid gold or silver are used with takanikubori. *Usunikubori 薄肉彫 (low relief carving) creates a more pictorial effect than takanikubori and is often used for *tsuba 鍔 (sword guards). Katagiribori 片切彫 (one side cut carving) uses the katagiri tagane 片切鏨 (chisel) to make a line with one deep side to parallel the one-sided shading technique of Maruyama school *Maruyama-Shijouha 円山四条派 painting; often found on swords, it is credited to Yokoya Soumin 横谷宗みん (1670-1733). Other choukin techniques include uchidashibori 打出彫 (embossed engraving), shishiaibori 肉合彫 (two level engraving), hannikubori 半肉彫 (half body engraving), marunikubori 丸肉彫 (body engraving), *sukashibori 透彫 (openwork engraving), and *zougan 象嵌 (inlay). Materials are gold, silver, copper, iron platinum, an alloy of copper and gold, and brass. In Japan, choukin is often used for sword guards, tsuba, kozuka 小柄 (knife attached to a sword sheath), kougai 笄 (metal rod attached to a sword sheath), menuki 目貫 (ornamental piece on a sword hilt), fuchigashira 縁頭 (sword pommel), Buddhist altar fittings and incense burners.

....I *think* the technique being identified on eBay as "chokin" equates to JAANUS's gilt/inlaid "takanikubori" work?

Onmark's page on Buddhist statues has another link back to JAANUS:

magaibutsu　磨崖仏

CATEGORY:　art history / sculptures

Also written 摩崖仏. Ch: moyafo. Also known as magai sekibutsu 磨崖石仏 or 摩崖石仏. A Buddhist image carved into the surface of natural rock such as a cliff face, a large rock, or a stone cave. The rock-face was first polished, and then the image was created with engraved lines (*senkoku 線刻) in low relief (*ukibori 浮彫) or in high relief (takanikubori 高肉彫).　Clay was used to model details on the relief carving. Occasionally colors and gold leaf were applied. [...] In Japan magaibutsu never formed the mainstream of Buddhist sculpture, but there are many surviving examples dating from the 7c to 14c.[....]

(Note the use of the term takanikubori in the context of stone, rather than metal; clearly refers to a general technique of high-relief carving rather than a specific medium.)

Onmark's page of artistic techniques used in Buddhist statuary look useful, esp. the term ginpaku (silver leaf). Google results inevitably lead back to JAANUS:

haku　箔

CATEGORY:　art history / paintings

　
Lit. foil or leaf. Gold, silver, copper, tin or brass pounded into a thin flat sheet and used for the decoration of art works and craft objects. Gold kinpaku 金箔 and silver ginpaku 銀箔 were most frequently used. A thin block of metal is wrapped in leather or *washi 和紙 (Japanese paper) and pounded with a wooden or bamboo mallet until it is about 1/10,000 of 1mm in thickness (the Heian/Kamakura examples are thicker). The sheets are then cut into approximately 10cm-squares. Most metal foils are made in Kyoto and Kanazawa. The technique of affixing gold foil to the surface of an object with lacquer or glue *nikawa 膠 is called kinpakuoshi 金箔押. The earliest known example of haku in Japan is found on the wall painting of Takamatsuzuka 高松塚 tomb (late 7c-early 8c). During the Nara and Heian periods (7-12c), gold and silver foil were frequently used as decoration on Buddhist paintings and sculptures, as well as on writing paper. In a technique called *shippaku 漆箔, gold/silver foil was pressed on top of lacquer applied to wood or to dry lacquer *kanshitsu 乾漆 sculpture. Foil cut into small pieces was used to make exquisite designs on the garments of Buddhist deities *kirikane 切金 and also sprinkled over the surface of writing papers for decoration *kirihaku 切箔. Sometimes foil was applied to the back of a painting to produce a soft, lusterous sheen on the metal ornaments held by Buddhist deities *urahaku 裏箔. From the Muromachi period, gold foil, which was favoured by the shoguns, was amply used for extravagant architectural decoration, such as Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's 足利義満 (1358-1408) Golden Pavilion, Kinkakuji 金閣寺 （1397) and Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 豊臣秀吉 (1536?-98) golden teahouse, Kin no chashitsu 金の茶室. Gold foil also was used extensively for interior decoration, and the gold background *kinji 金地 of paintings on screens and sliding doors *kinpeki shouhekiga 金碧障壁画. Gold/silver foil is also frequently used to decorate craft objects. It is affixed to lacquerware haku-e 箔絵 and pressed onto textiles. Generally gold and silver foil is applied inkin 印金 with glue or lacquer, however, during the Momoyama period (16-17c), a variation of this technique using rice paste as a bonding agent became popular (surihaku 摺箔; with embroidery, it is called nuihaku 繍箔).