JAPAN
to produce these tiny protuberances in perfectly straight lines at exactly equal intervals and of absolutely uniform size, so that a magnifying-glass can scarcely detect any variation in their order or size. Nanako disposed in straight parallel lines has always ranked at the head of this kind of work, but a new style was introduced in 1560 by Matabei, the second representative of the Muneta family. It was obtained by punching the dots in intersecting lines, so arranged that the dots fell uniformly into diamond-shaped groups of five each. This is called go-no-me (sometimes gu-no-me) nanako, because of its resemblance to the disposition of chequers in the Japanese game of go. A century later (1640), another representative of the Muneta family—Norinao, known in the art world as Doki—invented a new style of nanako to which the name of daimyo-nanako was given, doubtless because its special excellence seemed to reserve it for the use of the great nobles (daimyo) only. In this variety the lines of dots alternated with lines of polished ground.
Ishime may be described briefly as diapering. A diapered ground is known in Japan, however, by the special term wari-ishime (i.e. ishime distributed in patterns). There is scarcely any limit to the ingenuity and skill of the Japanese expert in diapering a metal surface. Thus one may see a silver teapot having its surface recessed in forty or fifty leaf-shaped panels, each panel filled with a different diaper of minute and delicate workmanship. But the ishime used on the fields of sword-mounts does not belong to the diaper class, according to Japanese nomenclature. There are, first, the zara-maki (broad-cast),—sometimes called tatsuta-maki,—in which the surface is
240
