Folk art: the value is in the handmade marks

A piece of Japanese Mingei-style furniture: extremely simple in form, a low table or a wooden box, but every surface retains the marks of hand tools—the subtle wavy undulations left by a plane, the chisel marks from trimming tenon joints, the tiny burrs on saw-cut edges that haven't been fully smoothed. These are not flaws; they are considered the proper appearance of an artifact in this tradition. The wood is uncolored chestnut or beech, with only a thin layer of lacquer or no finish at all. The proportions are robust, with generous thickness. Next to it is a handmade ceramic piece. Low-saturation natural light, earthy-toned background. Avoid: polishing surfaces to be completely smooth, using the uniform feel of machine processing, adding decoration or carving, applying glossy lacquer.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一件日本民藝風格的家具:形式極度單純,一張矮桌或一個木箱,但每一個表面都留著手工具的痕跡——鉋刀走過留下的細微波狀起伏、鑿子修整榫口的刀口、鋸切邊緣未完全磨平的微小毛邊。這些不是瑕疵,是這個傳統認為器物該有的樣子。木材是未上色的栗木或櫸木,只上一層薄薄的漆或什麼都不上。比例厚實,厚度不吝嗇。旁邊有一只手作的陶器。低彩度的自然光,土色調的背景。避免:表面打磨到完全平滑、使用機器加工的均勻感、加入裝飾或雕刻、上亮光漆。