Nicolas Pinon – Vegetal lacquer craftsman

1981- Ile de France

Nicolas Pinon is a craftsman specializing in vegetal lacquer who graduated in cabinetmaking from École Boulle in 2001. His professional journey led him to explore a wide range of finishing techniques, spanning both heritage and modern methods. The discovery of urushi, a Japanese lacquer, was a cornerstone of his career, driving him to achieve excellence in this craft. He later joined Atelier Brugier, where he refined his restoration expertise and contributed to the creation of decorative elements for international projects.

To perfect his technique, he decided to travel to Japan where, during his first trip in 2006, he met the lacquer master Nagatoshi Onishi. He initiated him into the philosophy of transmission and the ancient art of kanshitsu (dry lacquer), a technique involving linen or hemp cloth, rice glue, and earth to form the core of temple statues.

After setting up his own workshop in 2008, he collaborated with renowned interior designers such as Jacques Garcia and Peter Marino. Since 2013, he has focused his practice exclusively on traditional and modern Japanese lacquer, lending his expertise to luxury houses including Van Cleef & Arpels, Hermès, and Moët & Chandon.

2024 – Villa Kujoyama Residency

2020 – Liliane Bettencourt Prize pour l’intelligence de la main (dialogue Award) for the piece “Entropie” in collaboration with Dimitry Hlinka.

2020 – Grand Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris

2019 – Laureate of the Fondation Banque Populaire – Urushi project

Research and Innovation

Developed through five years of research in partnership with Dimitry Hlinka, the Asa collection features a honeycomb structure that blends urushi lacquer with hemp powder. This innovation offers unique strength, enabling new scales and applications for furniture design. Nicolas uses a low-impact botanical lacquer (6kg/year), sourced exclusively from Tsutsumi Asakiti Urushi in Kyoto.

Transmission

As one of the few experts in lacquering techniques in France, Nicolas is deeply committed to sharing his craft. In his studio, he leads over ten annual workshops. These sessions invite the public to discover the Japanese arts of kintsugi, which involves restoring ceramics with gold powder, and urushi, the traditional vegetable lacquer. Building on his years as a cabinetmaking teacher at École Boulle, he continues to pass on his know-how by regularly mentoring interns.

Today, Nicolas aims to develop his research to reveal a new side of natural lacquer. Supported by Fondation, he acquired two machines, one for mixing and one for application, to experiment with new formulations.