is the Japanese term for

openwork Openwork or open-work is a term in art history, architecture and related fields for any technique that produces decoration by creating holes, piercings, or gaps that go right through a solid material such as metal, wood, stone, pottery, cloth, l ...

or pierced work, using various techniques in

metalworking Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...

and other media, in which the foreground design is left intact, while background areas are cut away and removed (or the converse may be performed). (revised edition; 1964 first ed.), p.132/133 The resulting piece becomes see-through (''sukashi'') and hence the name. Traditional artisans worked on piece of cast metal (or hammered metal) such as bronze as medium. In traditional metalworking (''chōkin'', ), the carving tools they used were the piercing burin (''sukashi-tagane'', ) and

scroll saw A scroll saw is a small electric or pedal-operated saw used to cut intricate curves in wood, metal, or other materials. The fineness of its blade allows it to cut more delicately than a power jigsaw, and more easily than a hand coping saw or fr ...

(''tsurubiki-noko''(?), )., p. 132. 「弦引鋸」is the word used here for the scroll saw, but no other instance of the word can be found in other sources, and the reading of the word is a guess. it may be ''tsuruhiki nokogiri'', for instance The type where the foreground pattern is preserved and the background removed is called , and the reverse is called . In Buddhist art, or lotus motif is often used The result is an

Arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...

-like or lacework-like design. They are featured in the depiction of the ''kōhai'' or "rear glow" (the halo or nimbus behind Buddhist statues) as well as the tiara-like headpieces crowning their heads. Other prominent uses are in ritual objects such as ''

keman (Japanese phoneticization from the Sanskrit ''kusumamālā'' "Garland of Flowers"), is a Buddhist ritual decoration, placed hanging on the beam of the inner sanctuary before the enshrined Buddha, in the main hall of the temple. (revised editio ...

'' (pendent ornaments), , and . Examples of

tsuba Japanese sword mountings are the various housings and associated fittings ('' tosogu'') that hold the blade of a Japanese sword when it is being worn or stored. refers to the ornate mountings of a Japanese sword (e.g. ''katana'') used when the ...

(hilt-guard) of the Japanese sword often use ''sukashibori'' work. The word is also applied when used for other material, such a wood; for example, the

transom Transom may refer to: * Transom (architecture), a bar of wood or stone across the top of a door or window, or the window above such a bar * Transom (nautical), that part of the stern of a vessel where the two sides of its hull meet * Operation Tran ...

(''ranma'') may be done in ''sukashibori'' work.

References

{{Reflist Japanese art terminology Metalworking terminology

See also

References