Descending Dragon Wabori Art Panel

Wada Chokin Kobo is a workshop in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, devoted to chokin — the art of engraving pictures into metal with a chisel (tagane) and hammer. Shunsuke Wada, the fourth-generation craftsman, carries on the technique.

The engraving depicts a "descending dragon" (kudari-ryu), coming down from the heavens. It captures the dragon that has raced across the sky as it alights upon the earth with all its momentum intact. Said to be a guardian presence that protects the land, brings abundance and blessings, quells misfortune and purifies a space, it is also a symbol of "growth" and "prosperity." Its flowing form brims with vigor and vitality, evoking the power to open up new paths.

The brass plate that serves as the base is a traditional craft of Takaoka, blackened by an artisan through oxidation coloring. The descending dragon was engraved into this black surface by striking it with a chisel. Only hand engraving can produce deeply cut lines that catch the light and gleam.

So that you can fully enjoy the character of the engraved lines, the piece is not framed with acrylic or glass. It is an art panel that can be hung on the wall just as it is.

Because each piece is engraved by hand, the character of the engraving and the shade of black vary slightly from one to the next. Enjoy the play of light and shadow that shifts with the angle of the light, and the way the brass deepens with time.