mother-of-pearl
漆塗りのデザインを基調とする高岡漆器が, 新しい素材を取り入れたモダンな食器を紹介しています。
Travelers’ Treasures / DEN Old Glass & Tumbler Glass (Glass and tumbler in lacquer and mother-of-pearl)
Takaoka Shikki has been creating lacquered trays and multitiered food boxes since long ago. Based on this tradition, their long-standing Amano Shikki Co. started the DEN brand in 2013. Their characteristic products include tableware and kitchen goods that incorporate lacquering and mother-of-pearl elements, giving the products a modern design aesthetic.
One decorative technique for the mother-of-pearl is to slim down the shell to a 0.1 millimeters or thinner plate, then cut it into the desired pattern for fitting into the lacquered surface. However, Takaoka developed a technique called “mother-of-pearl glass” in which the mother-of-pearl and lacquer are glued to the glass.
以下省略
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003366846
今回取り上げる表現は “mother-of-pearl” です。
『リーダーズ英和中辞典』(研究社)で調べると, 「(貝内面の)真珠層, <まれ>真珠層のある貝(アコヤガイなど)」とありました。
Merriam-Webster.comには “the hard pearly iridescent substance forming the inner layer of a mollusk shell” と定義されています。
今回は “mother” の用例が気になり, 意義をいま一度確認したところ, 「保護しはぐくむ女性[人物]」という意味をもつことがわかりました。(『リーダーズ英和中辞典』)「母」に含まれる, 上記のような意味合いから, “mother-of-pearl” という表現ができたと考えられます。(Cayu)