Portable desk "bundai". Japan, 17th century (Edo period). Nanban style.

Portable desk "bundai". Japan, 17th century (Edo period). Nanban style.
Lacquered solid wood with gold dust decoration and mother-of-pearl inlay ("makie" technique).
The same model is reproduced in the catalog of the exhibition "The beauty of the ephemeral. Japanese art through the collections of Daniel Buján and Pardo-Mitsunaga", held at the Museo do Mar de Galicia (Vigo), November 2025-January 2026.
Measurements: 16,5 x 57 x 33 cm.

This bundai or Japanese portable desk corresponds to the traditional typology used to hold books, calligraphic scrolls or documents, especially in cultured environments linked to writing and poetry. Its low format allowed its use on tatami, adapting to Japanese domestic customs.

The piece is made of solid wood covered with lacquer and decorated using the makie technique, consisting of the application of gold dust on the still wet lacquer, combined with mother-of-pearl inlays that provide lighting effects and decorative hallmarks. The cover presents a rich scene with architecture, lush vegetation, birds and figures in a landscape setting, framed by a characteristic checkered border and geometric motifs that refer to the ornamental taste associated with Nanban art.

The Nanban style arose from the contact between Japan and the Portuguese traders and missionaries who arrived in the 16th century. This exchange gave rise to a unique artistic language that incorporated decorative elements and Western sensibilities reinterpreted from the Japanese tradition. The profusion of ornamentation, the use of gold on a dark background and the combination of architectural and landscape motifs are distinctive features of this trend.

The present example reflects the high degree of technical refinement reached by the art of Japanese lacquer in the 17th century, combining functionality and decorative sophistication in a work of remarkable quality and historical-artistic value.