Saita Baitei (齋田梅亭)
Baitei SAITA (April 6, 1900 - June 1, 1981) was a Japanese kirikane-shi (a craftsman of kirikane, a decorative technique used in Buddhist paintings and on wooden statues and for lacquer work and employs gold or silver foil cut into thin strips or minute triangular or square pieces, which are laid on designs and painted in with glue). In 1981 he was first certified as an Important Intangible Cultural Property Living National Treasure in the category of other crafts, kirikane.
Brief Personal History
He was born in a family of kirikane craftsmen under the patronage of Nishi Hongan-ji Temple in Kyoto and graduated in design at Kyoto-shiritsu Bijutsu Kogei Gakko (Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and Crafts) the present Kyoto City University of Arts. After he became engaged in design work at a department store and a specialty shop selling kimonos, he took over the family kirikane business around the age of 25.
He applied kirikane to byobu (folding screens), gaku (frames), tsuitate (one-panel screens), chaire (tea containers) and kazaribako (ornamental boxes) and delivered a yonkyoku-isso byobu (four-panel folding screen) called 'Kasumi-mon' to the Geihinkan (State Guest Houses) in Akasaka, Tokyo (Minato Ward, Tokyo Prefecture) and laid the foundations for kirikane as a separate category of craft. His style was distinctive in that he realistically depicted fish and seaweed in the sea, ears of Japanese pampas grass, botan (peonies), ajisai (hydrangeas), kiku (chrysanthemums) and tsubaki (camellias) especially when he put kirikane on items with a flat-surface such as byobu and gaku.
Life
1900: He was born in a family of a kirikane craftsmen under the patronage of Nishi Hongan-ji Temple in Kyoto and his real name was Yugoro. 1920: He graduated in design from Kyoto-shiritsu Bijutsu Kogei Gakko (Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and Crafts) the present Kyoto City University of Arts. 1925: He studied under his brother and started kirikane. 1959: His work 'Kirikane kazaribako' (ornamental box decorated with kirikane) received an Encouragement Award in the 6th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. 1961: 'Kirikane Saikamon kazaribako' (ornamental box decorated with kirikane) received an Encouragement Award in the 8th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition.
1962: He was certified as a regular member of Nihon Kogeikai (the Japan Art Crafts Association.)
1974: He delivered 'kirikane yonkyoku-isso byobu Kasumi-mon' (four-panel folding screen decorated with kirikane, titled Kasumi-mon) to the Geihinkan (State Guest Houses) in Akasaka, Tokyo. 1975: He received The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette. 1977: His work 'Kirikane chaire' (tea container decorated with kirikane) received a grand prize in the Kyoto Arts and Crafts Exhibition and received a Merit Award of Arts and Crafts in Kyoto Prefecture. 1981: He was certified as an Important Intangible Cultural Property and died on June 1 at the age of 81.