The Japanese lamps of Orientique are the perfect addition for your home. These lamps handmade with a wooden framework and shoji rice paper bring ambience to your room like no other lamp. The Japanese lamps have a minimalistic design, but look incredibly elegant. The wooden frames add a natural appearance and fits every modern home. Read on to discover the story of our Japanese lamps.
The History of Japanese Lamps: Andon
Japanese lamps are also known as ‘andon’. Andon (行灯) is the Japanese word for ‘lantern’, but in the west it is almost synonymous for the traditional Japanese woodwork lamps covered with shoji rice paper. The typical Japanese andon lamp made its first appearance in the Edo period (1603-1867). These lamps were originally lit using candles where the shoji rice paper not only protected the flame from the wind, but also diffused the light softly in all directions.
The introduction of the Japanese shoji lamps allowed for the expansion of night life which had an influence on Japanese culture. Activities could continue well into the night: restaurants and shops could extend their opening hours and entertaining guests at home could continue into the evenings. The Japanese lamps create the necessary minimum of light required to function in the darkness of the night, but do not alter the ambiance the night has to offer.
Japanese Lamps Designed to Resemble the Moonlight
You could also argue that the soft diffused light from the Japanese lamps resembles the moon. Many East-Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan have shown a special appreciation for moonlight since ancient times. This is reflected in traditions such as moon viewings and in the many surviving poems celebrating the beauty of the moon. It is believed that this admiration of the moon underlaid the development of the traditional Japanese lamps as we know now.
Japanese Lamps Made by Japanese Masters
The construction of a Japanese lamp seems straightforward based on its appearance. Yet, its many mortise and tenon joints for the wooden frame require a precision in woodworking that is difficult to master. The joints allow for all pieces to be slid together without the use of nails - which were bound to rust in the humid Japanese climate.
After constructing the frame of the Japanese lamp, beautiful kumiko (lattice) patterns can be added or the frame gets immediately finished with shoji rice paper. Who would have thought that the delicate beauty of the Japanese lamp required such precision.
Explore the Orientique Collection
Complete your home with other oriental furnishings! Our webshop contains all the furniture you need for a comfortable and beautiful home. We have gorgeous Chinese console tables, coffee tables and TV benches for the living room. Or complement the Japanese lamps with gorgeous Japanese room dividers. Browse the Orientique webshop and explore our Chinese furniture, lamps, room dividers, and home accessories.
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Visit our gallery or instagram (@orientique_official) for more inspiration and news! There you can find gorgeous modern interiors combined with Oriental elements. You will see how easy it is to add an Asian touch to your home.
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