In this small yet visually majestic sphere, Japanese lacquer master Nagatoshi Onishi updates traditional decorative materials (notably abalone shell and gold leaf) to cosmic effect. The piece is built using the kanshitsu technique - layers of cloth molded with lacquer – which allows him to shape his pieces completely, unlike many lacquer artists who depend on a woodworker to make the substrate of the work. Onishi has been a pivotal figure in the craft revival of postwar Japan, helping to establish the Lacquer Craft Group and World Urushi Culture Council, and serving as an ambassador for the medium both domestically and abroad.