UNKOKU TŌGAN (1547 - 1618)
Landscape of the Four Seasons _ Pair of two-panel folding screens; ink and light color on paper _ Each 180 by 180 cm
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This pair of folding screens is an imagined
in western Japan. By the 1570s Tōgan served
landscape, set in China, a land the painter,
the daimyo Mōri Terumoto (1553-1625) at his
Unkoku Tōgan (1547-1618), knew only from other
base in Hiroshima, and in 1593, in recognition
pictures and written accounts. Tōgan suggests
of his mastery of Sesshū’s style, Terumoto
a point of entry for viewers, guiding them over
awarded Tōgan with possession of Sesshū’s
a bridge traversed by a solitary traveler in the
masterpiece, the Long Landscape Scroll (National
lower right corner of the right screen. Roads
Treasure, Mōri Museum, Hōfu City). Tōgan was
and pathways lead to and from boats moored
also bequeathed Sesshū’s studio, the Unkoku-
at various points along the shore, to a group
an (“Cloudy Valley Hermitage”) in Yamaguchi,
of pavilions—perhaps a temple—at right, and a
and thenceforth called himself “Unkoku Tōgan”
fishing village and more tiled buildings by the
to demonstrate his claim as the legitimate heir
open expanse of water at left. The moon rising
to Sesshū’s stylistic lineage (the character “Tō”
from the low horizon indicates that Tōgan has set
等 used by Tōgan and his successors comes
his landscape in early evening when fishermen
from Sesshū’s second name, “Tōyō”). The Long
return their boats to port. The themes of evening,
Landscape Scroll was handed down through
fishermen, moonrise, and distant temples evoke
generations of Tōgan’s descendants, many of
classical Chinese landscape subjects, notably
whom, starting with Tōgan, produced copies of it.
the Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang. Without making
The present pair of screens exemplifies
overt references to all eight views, Tōgan shows
Tōgan’s synthesis of large-scale landscape
his awareness and understanding of their
composition
poetic allusions to the seasons, varying weather
inspired by Sesshū’s works, which in turn were
conditions, and times of day.
largely based on Chinese paintings from the
Unkoku Tōgan was a major painter of the
12 th through 15 th century. Tōgan sculpts rocks,
Momoyama period (1573-1615) who is best
boulders, and mountains with a combination of
remembered for having revived and transformed
clearly inscribed contour lines, parallel “axe-cut”
the style of the late Muromachi period monk-
texture strokes, and broad washes of diluted ink
painter Sesshū Tōyō (1420-1506). Tōgan initially
that in concert with highlighted passages left
studied under the Kano school from which
in reserve endow them with mass and volume.
he probably learned the basic techniques of
Tōgan anchors the overall composition with
painting and the principles of large-scale folding
overlapping motifs concentrated on one side
screen or mural compositions, an area of art
so that the landscape begins in the lower right
production that the Kano school monopolized.
corner and opens out to the broad expanse
Tōgan established himself as the founder of
at left. These techniques and compositional
his own lineage of painters, the Unkoku school,
principles can ultimately be traced back to Song-
with
motifs
and
brushwork
dynasty Chinese paintings, especially works
natural motifs, such as the rocks and trees, and
by Xia Gui and Ma Yuan of the Southern Song
approaches to combinations of elements, such
dynasty (1127-1279). Individual motifs, such as
as the clumps of trees on the mountaintop in the
the cross-hatched reeds by the shore, houses
second panel of the right screen, match those
painted with a straight-edge, sailboats, figure on
found in Tōgan’s signed works, such as Landscape
a donkey, and others, however, may all be traced
with Pavilions (Kumagaya Museum), Landscapes
directly to Sesshū’s Long Landscape Scroll,
of the Four Seasons (Metropolitan Museum of Art),
verifying Tōgan’s access to this work. Tōgan’s
and Landscapes from the temple Ōbai’in, which
screen is not simply a copy, however, but rather
was built in 1588. Although today the screens are
a work in which he selectively borrows and
preserved as a pair, paper seams indicate that
rearranges elements of a work that he greatly
at some point, probably in the Edo period (1603-
admired into something completely different.
1868), they were reformatted from the right half
The large panels of a folding screen allowed
of a pair of six-panel screens. Such reformatting
Tōgan to evoke a vast and more immersive
is not uncommon in Japanese art and may have
landscape space than would have been possible
been prompted by a variety of factors, such as
on a smaller format.
the loss of the original left screen of the pair,
The screens are unsigned, but below the
exigencies of storage and space for display, or
figure on the bridge in the lower right corner of
aesthetic preferences. The painter’s seals were
the right screen can be discerned a spot once
probably removed when the screens were altered.
impressed with seals but later scraped off. The
Whatever the reasons for their reformatting,
overall form of this abraded patch is consistent in
the screens remain in good condition, with few
shape and size with the combination of two seals,
surface abrasions or pigment loss.
a gourd-shaped seal read “Unkoku” and a square one read “Tōgan,” that the painter stamped on
Matthew McKelway
many of his pictures. The style of both individual
Professor of Japanese Art History, Columbia University
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DEER IN AUTUMN GRASSES Momoyama period, early 17th century _ Six-panel folding screen; ink, colors and gold leaf on paper _ 62 by 185 cm
Depicted beside over-scaled autumn grasses,
Motifs of autumn grasses and deer have been
the screen shows a male deer running toward
paired in Japanese poetry and design since the
a grassy hill, while the empty sky is filled with
Heian period. Evocative scenes with this subject
old, elegant kana script, forming a poem by
can be found on lacquerware and painting.
Koga Michiteru (Minamoto no Michiteru, 1187-
1248), Commander of the Left Gate Guards at
classified
the Imperial Palace. The verses are dynamically
screen”), a kind of screen that was set up behind
brushed across the surface in a manner known
a seated guest to ensure that no one was lurking
as “scattered writing” (chirashi-gaki). The rhythm
behind him. The screen seems related to a pair of
and intensity of ink allow the fluid characters
small byōbu attributed to Hasegawa Tōgaku, with
to harmonize with the movement of the design,
a very similar composition but a different poem.
following the direction, from right to left, of the wind and of the running deer. The poem reads: 明ぬとて 埜邉よ里山耳 い類鹿乃 あ登布支送類 萩の下 風.左衛門督通光 Dawn has come the deer knows he must leave the fields for the mountains, sent on his way by the breeze tossing the lower leaves of bush clovers
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Due to its small size, this screen can be as
koshi byōbu
(litterally,
“waist
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WHITE LILIES Edo period, early 18th century _ Six-panel folding screen; ink, colors, gofun, silver and gold leaf on paper _ 106 by 284 cm
The screen illustrates a group of large white
lilies behind a brushwood fence, which stands out in low relief. The use of large lilies as a subject matter is rare and even if painters of the mid Edo Period have indeed produced works with this flower, there are no known folding screens of this period with a similar composition. Ikeda Koson (1801-1866) painted this motif once and it is interesting to note how he also used the same layout as this screen, with a lonely flower on the left-hand side balancing a dense group on the right-hand side. The fence is realistically rendered in three dimensions. This technique, one kind of moriage, entails the use of silver paint over a thick build-up of impasto-like white pigment made of ground oyster shells (gofun).
According to the Japanese language of flower
(hanakotoba), the white lily (shirayuri) represents purity and chastity. The use of this code was meant to convey emotion and communicate directly to the viewer without needing the use of words.
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CHERRY BLOSSOMS AT M O U N T Y O S H I N O Edo period, early 18th century _ Pair of six-panel folding screen; ink, colors, and gold on paper _ Each 172 by 377 cm
Celebrated for its blossoming cherry trees
and other sacred sites, all duly labeled with
in classical poetry and ancient legends, Mount
rectangular cartouches. The screens follow a
Yoshino was chiefly a center for ascetic
compositional prototype established around
Shugendō practices. For centuries pilgrims from
the sixteenth century or slightly earlier. The
throughout Japan thronged to the great Zaō Hall
best-known example depicts the military ruler
at Kinpusenji, Yoshino’s main temple. Yoshino
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) on a cherry
was also the site of extensive sutra burials, a
blossom-viewing excursion to Yoshino in 1594
religious practice in which believers interred
(Important Cultural Property, Hosomi Museum,
sacred scriptures and images in anticipation of
Kyoto).
the coming of Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future.
episode, but the present work appears to make
The set of six sutras buried at Mount Kinpu
no reference to it.
(Kinpusen) in 1007 by the powerful minister
Fujiwara no Michinaga (966-1028) marked the
is an idealized representation of the famous
beginning of this practice at Yoshino. During the
site, abloom with its famous cherry trees
fourteenth century Yoshino served briefly as the
painstakingly rendered with tiny raised dots of
headquarters of the “southern court” established
shell-white pigment (gofun). Figures are shown
by the exiled Emperor GoDaigo (1288-1339) to
walking the main road through the town and
rival the claimants to the chrysanthemum throne
making visits to the many worship halls, all
supported by the Ashikaga shogunal regime
clearly labeled. Such sundry details as glimpses
based in Kyoto. Like Mount Fuji or Itsukushima
of screen paintings on display inside some of the
Shrine, Yoshino emerged in the early modern
buildings, garments hanging out to dry, shops,
period as one of the most famous places in
feasting, and terraced fields give texture to the
Japan, a site renowned for both its natural
depiction. The figures’ hairstyles and clothing
beauty and important historical events that had
suggest a general date of no earlier than the late
taken place there.
seventeenth century. The screens’ punctilious
In this pair of screens virtual travelers can
attention to portraying the full range of places
trace their paths through Yoshino’s sacred
one would encounter at Yoshino attests to the
topography from right to left across the screens’
enduring religious and popular appeal this place
twelve panels. They would begin by crossing
continues to hold in Japan into our own era.
Other
examples
also
portray
this
What the anonymous painter offers instead
the bridge in the lower right corner of the right screen, and proceed through groves of cherry
Matthew McKelway
trees to the great bronze torii gate in the sixth
Professor of Japanese Art History, Columbia University
panel. They would next pass through the town and reach Kinpusenji, Yoshimizu Shrine,
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JIUN ONKŌ
(1718 - 1804)
Kotobuki (Long Life) 壽 _ Hanging scroll; ink on silk, 77.1 by 83 cm _ Mounts 201.3 by 113.3 cm _ Sealed: Senriki no Deshi 千力之弟子 Onko no In 飲光之印 Itaru Tokoro Keige Nashi 所至無罣礙
The Chinese character 壽 (Ju or Kotobuki) implies gratitude upon receiving long life, but it also connotes the transcendence of the eternal cycle of birth and death. Jiun’s intention is to wish longevity while warning the reader at the same time: may we all have a long and happy life, but shall we spend it well, according to the Buddha’s teachings. The massive character is meant to emerge as a strong admonition. The horizontal brushstrokes sit tightly on top of each other, with barely any space between them. The perfect balance and proportions of the kanji opens up at the bottom with the sweeping brushstrokes that surround the final punctuation of the round dot in the center, a typical feature of Jiun’s calligraphies. On top, with faint and short lines, the explanation of Jiun’s auspice: をの, づから, 生る, 衆生を, 御法, にて我, 尽しなき, ことぶ きを, しる All the creatures that are born and live by the teaching of Buddhism get to live a long life.
“Kotobuki” is a classical ichigyomono, literally “one-
liners”: short phrases or single characters that allude to longer sentences or deep concepts. They are often found in public places such as tea rooms, zen temples and martial arts dōjō.
Jiun Onkō (Jiun Sonja) is one of the greatest
Japanese Zen artists. Born in Osaka, he joined the cloister at the age of thirteen and studied Confucianism, Shingon esoteric Buddhism and Soto Zen. He was an excellent scholar, learning Sanskrit in order to study the ancient Buddhist manuscripts and the basic teachings of Buddhism. He founded a religious movement that aimed to bring Buddhism back to its origins (“True Dharma”). Jiun was one of the reformers of the Edo period Zen and today he is still considered one of the greatest Zen calligraphers that ever lived in Japan.
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SUZUKI KIITSU
(1796 - 1858)
Moon _ Hanging scroll; ink on silk, 76 by 25 cm _ Mounts 157,5 by 48 cm _ Signed: Seisei Kiitsu 菁々其一. Square relief seal: Shukurin 祝琳
Suzuki Kiitsu was the leading painter of the “Edo
Rimpa” movement of artists active in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. Born in Edo the son of a dyer, Kiitsu began his career as an apprentice to Sakai Hōitsu (1761-1828) when he was eighteen. In the early 1800s Hōitsu had revived the style of Ogata Kōrin (1658-1716), mounting an exhibition of Kōrin’s paintings in 1815 to commemorate the centenary of his death. Hōitsu also produced two illustrated books that crystallized his efforts to promote Kōrin’s style and establish himself as his successor in Edo, One Hundred Paintings by Kōrin (Kōrin hyakuzu), printed around 1816, and Compendium of Images by Ōson (Ōson gafu), printed in 1817. It was in 1817 that the twenty-one-year-old Kiitsu emerged as the top painter in Hōitsu’s workshop. That year Hōitsu’s main assistant, Suzuki Reitan (1782-1817), died from rabies, and in recognition of Kiitsu’s talents, the young painter was married to Reitan’s sister and allowed to adopt Reitan’s surname, Suzuki. Hōitsu’s many letters indicate that in the following decade Kiitsu served as his primary assistant, completing commissions and often serving as a “ghost painter” for the older master who would sign these works as his own. Kiitsu continued to serve as a retainer to the Sakai house after Hōitsu’s death, which guaranteed him a generous stipend.
Earlier Rimpa painters in Kyoto such as Tawaraya
Sōtatsu (d. ca. 1640) and Ogata Kōrin had already established
an
approach
that
emphasized
bold
compositions and depictions of flowers and plants in brilliant colors, but Hōitsu, and to an even greater extent Kiitsu, infused their pictures with a heightened sensitivity and attention to seasonal change, weather conditions, and times of the day in their many paintings of floral subjects. Sōtatsu, Kōrin, and Hōitsu painted numerous images of cherry blossoms and crimson maple leaves, but when Kiitsu painted these subjects he depicted them by turns in monochrome nighttime silhouettes or buffeted by driving rain. The present painting of a
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full moon evinces Kiitsu’s interest in seasons
ink that capture the changing forms of parting
and weather in its evocative depiction of a full
clouds. A lighter cloud that crosses the lower
moon appearing through clouds on the heels of
half of the picture diagonally suggests the form
a heavy summer rain. It perhaps derives from
of a flying dragon, which was believed to be a
what had become a classic subject, “Snow,
bringer of rain.
Moon, and Flowers,” which Edo-based painters,
including many unaffiliated with the Rimpa
undated, changes in his signature style and
group, frequently depicted. Triptychs by Hōitsu
seal usage make it possible to place them in a
and Kiitsu that group blossoming cherry trees,
general chronology. Both the cursive style of the
snow-covered pines, and a full moon reflected
signature, “Seisei Kiitsu,” and its combination
in water represent what were considered the
with the square relief “Shukurin” seal in this
most beautiful and emblematic motifs of spring,
picture closely resemble those on a painting,
winter, and summer, respectively.
Zhongkuei and Bamboo, that bears the date 1855,
thus making the present image a work from the
Kiitsu executed his picture on silk, taking
pains to depict a perfectly circular full moon in
Although most of Kiitsu’s paintings are
final years of the painter’s career.
reserve against a background of light gray ink wash. Having allowed the moon and sky to dry
Matthew McKelway
he appears next to have dampened the painting
Professor of Japanese Art History, Columbia University
surface and spread dark and light ink wash over
Reference: Suntory Museum of Art, Suzuki Kiitsu: Standard-bearer
it, resulting in the layered passages of bleeding
of the Edo Rimpa School (Suntory Bijutsukan, 2016-2017)
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NAKAMURA HŌCHŪ
(? - 1819)
Irises by a Stream _ Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, 100 by 34 cm _ Mounts 184 by 52.5 cm _ Signed: “Hōchū ga” with artist’s seal _ Exhibited: Hōchū Meets Kōrin, Chiba Museum of Art (Itō Shiori), 2014 _ Literature: Hōchū Meets Kōrin, Cat. nr. 71, Unsodo Co: 2014
The irises are depicted by a stylised stream with a
strong use of tarashikomi technique. On top, a poem reads: 工夫して 曳く流れや 杜若 Drawing life from running waters wild irises.
The poem contributes not only meaning to the work
but also plays an important role in the composition, contrasting formally with the painted subject matter and connecting visually with the signature.
Nakamura Hōchū was born in Kyoto, where he studied
Nanga painting, probably under Ike no Taiga. For some reason unknown, at a certain point he left Kyoto and is in fact listed in the Naniwa Kyoyuroku of 1790 as living in Osaka. He later spent some time in Edo, where in 1802 he published the Korin Gafu, illustrating what he had learned from his study of paintings by Ogata Korin (1658-1716). After this, Hōchū began to produce paintings in which he made full use of the tarashikomi technique, a mark of Korin’s style which utilises stains and gradations of ink and pigments. It was around this time that Sakai Hōitsu, who was enjoying great popularity as the founder of the Edo Rinpa School, also began to execute works in this style. Hōchū later returned to Osaka, where he died in November 1819, probably at an old age. Poem translation: courtesy of the Rengetsu Foundation Project
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HAIRA TAISHŌ A wood standing figure of one of the Twelve Heavenly Generals _ Heian period, 12th century _ Height: 98 cm
The Twelve Heavenly Generals (Jūni Shinshō)
In the history of Japanese sculpture, the
protect and serve Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine
Heian period represents a consistent period of
Buddha. In Japanese art they are almost
wood sculpture but shows a development from
always grouped in a protective circle around
the single-woodblock construction technique
Yakushi Nyorai. The number twelve has much
(ichiboku-zukuri) of its early years to Jocho’s
significance; in this case possibly referring to:
perfection of the “joined wood construction”
the 12 vows of Yakushi, protection during the
technique (yosegi-zukuri) commonly used after
12 daylight hours, the 12 months, the 12 cosmic
the mid-11 th century. Due to this construction,
directions or the 12 animals of the Chinese
most of figure sculpted in this period have lost
zodiac. The Jūni Shinshō are also members of
their original arms.
the Tenbu, a larger grouping of deities protecting the Buddhist realm.
Whilst interpretations differ, the Jūni Shinshō
are always depicted with fierce facial expressions and menacing martial stances. They usually wear armor, topped off with a helmet or, as in this case, spiked hair. Their main function is to fight the enemies of Buddhism and to protect Yakushi Nyorai and those who believe in Buddhist writings. Their ferocious expressions represent their anger with evil deeds and evil people. The General here portrayed has been tentatively identified as Haira and his hands would have been threateningly unsheathing a sword.
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K ATA K U C H I YU TŌ A large Negoro lacquered wood hanging ewer for hot water _ Momoyama to early Edo period 16th-17th century _ Diameter: 50.7 cm _ Inscribed on the flat base in black lacquer Todaiji and illegible date _ Provenance: Todaiji Temple, Nara Prefecture Todoroki Takashi (1938-2016), Tokyo
Negoro lacquer wares were produced in Negoro-ji, the
head temple of the Shinai Shingon sect of Buddhism. During medieval times, Negoro utensils were used in shrines and temples related to Negoro-ji for everyday use as well as ritual purposes. A very important part of enjoying Negoro ware is what Japanese call “wabi” aesthetic: these utensils are never adorned with excessive decoration that would compromise their functionality, while signs of wear and even flaws can be appreciated by people of refined taste. In fact, the cinnabar red layers of lacquer on these wares are intended to gradually wear away with use, revealing the black undercoat, as evidence that the pieces have lived a long life.
Ewers were produced in a great variety of forms,
depending on how they were used. Round ewers with a spout (katakuchi chōshi) were generally made for serving sake but the massive size of this one suggests it might have beed used to provide hot water to a large party. However, this yutō remains unique, as no other large Negoro ewer with metal loop rings is known, and so we can not be sure of its original use.
Todoroki
Takashi
(1938-2016)
was
a
famous
connoisseur of Asian art and collector of Korean ceramics, Buddhist art and Negoro lacquer ware.
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FUBAKO A rare letter box decorated with playing cards _ Early Edo period, 17th century _ 21.5 by 7 by 4 cm
The rectangular box with cover is decorated
quite understanding the motif of the chalice,
in gold and silver takamaki-e (high relief lacquer)
favoured picturing it upside down like a Buddhist
on a nashiji background with scattered Unsun
jewel, with the stem coming from the top.
Karuta (Japanese playing cards in Portuguese
Another characteristic worth mentioning is the
style) depicting various Nanban designs.
presence of the dragon: on original Portuguese
The Portuguese 48-card deck arrived in
decks, dragons were already found instead of
century, supposedly
aces, while in Japan they have their own value,
Japan in the mid-16
th
brought by Francis Xavier. It had 4 suits - cups,
depending on the game played.
swords, coins, and clubs - said to represent
the four classes of medieval Europe: priests,
card, found also on the gilt metal kanamono,
knights, merchants, and peasants. Decks went
indicating the original owner’s clan.
through various permutations to get around the proscriptions, including the revised pack called Unsun Karuta - a mix of European, Chinese, and Japanese motifs - which is what is pictured here. It will be noticed that the Japanese, not
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The decoration features a fuji kamon on one
HEISHI A pair of lacquered ritual sake vessel with maki-e design of pines, bamboo, turtles and cranes, bearing the family crests of the Matsūra family. _ Early Edo period, 17th century _ Height: 40 cm
From ancient times up until the Heian
mulberry leaf (kajinoha). The Matsūra clan,
Period, sake was brewed mainly as an offering
who ruled the Hirado domain, were involved in
to the gods and served in Shinto shrines in
maritime traffic and prior to the Edo period and
unglazed earthenware vessels. During the
its closed door policy, they were one of the few
Kamakura period, large size wooden vessels
families that ruled through foreign diplomacy,
(heishi) became popular and banquets were
by having the Dutch and the English Trading
held for
and festivals, where
Posts established in their domain. This pair
people took turns drinking sake from the
ceremonies
of heishi might be related to Hirado Matsūra
same bottle. The shape of these vessels was
Takashi (1646-1713), who was appointed by
inspired by the Chinese ceramic wine bottles
the shogunate as national commissioner for
from the Song dynasty and the surface was
shrines and temples. He was the first tozama
generally lacquered in Negoro style cinnabar-
daimyō (lords who submitted to the Tokugawa
red (see page 34), while maki-e decorations,
shogunate only after the battle of Sekigahara)
which flourished from the Momoyama period,
to be promoted to this important position.
are extremely rare. In this case, as traditional for ceremonial items, the motif is a landscape with four auspicious symbols of longevity: pine, bamboo, turtle and crane.
The vessels are also decorated with two
family crests (kamon) of the Matsūra clan, the three circles (mitsuboshi) and the paper
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T O M I Z O S A R ATA N I (1949 - )
A stone and lacquer okimono decorated with an octopus and a hermit crab, 13.5 cm long _ A stone and lacquer okimono decorated with a gecko and a butterfly, 12 cm long _ A stone and lacquer okimono decorated with a bee trapped in a spider’s web, 11 cm long
Tomizo Saratani was born in Kyoto and has spent
his life working on traditional Japanese lacquer (urushi). After his studies under various teachers, in 1975 he moved to Vienna as an instructor and restorer for the MAK - the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts - where he supervised the restorations of lacquered furniture in Austrian public collections for eight years. He then worked as lacquer restorer and netsuke artist in London, Chicago and his hometown in Hokkaido and in 2003 he decided to dedicate himself solely to his original works. The subjects Tomizo picks are very often animals, which he is able to render with impressive naturalism.
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JIZAI OKIMONO A russet-iron articulated figure of a dragon _ Edo Period, 18th-19th century _ Lenght: 39 cm _ Signed: Myōchin Kiyoharu 明珍清春
Realistically rendered with a long serpentine
is a dragon bearing the signature of Myōchin
and undulating body, forged with numerous
Muneaki and dated 1713. The Myōchin were
hammered scales joined inside the body, the
armor makers who excelled in iron forging and
dragon can move its body remarkably smoothly.
hammer work and have produced jizai okimono in
The leg joints, claws, head, whiskers, mouth
the peaceful time of the mid-Edo period. In fact,
and tongue are also constructed of hinged
as the demand for armour markedly diminished
elements, for a total of 79 moving parts. The tail
during the reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the
is clutching the hilt of a gold Shinto sword.
Myōchin artists turned to the production of other
forged iron materials such as tea ceremony
Little is known about Myōchin Kiyoharu but
his scarce works are all masterpieces. There
kettles, boxes, sword guards and jizai okimono.
are only few other known jizai okimono signed
by Kiyoharu: a hawk in the Tokyo National
modern: In the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian
Museum, a lobster and a few other dragons. All
Exposition the craftsman Itao Shinjiro showed
the dragons are identical to this one in design
an articulated piece which was described as
and quality, including one in the British Museum.
kusshin jizai tsubasa no okimono (an okimono with
Jizai
okimono
are
realistically
The term “jizai okimono” seems to be quite
shaped
wings that move in and out freely) and the word
figures of animals. Their bodies and limbs are
jizai is seen again in this context on the storage
articulated and can be moved like real creatures;
box for an articulated dragon purchased by the
among these figures, we can find models of
Tokyo National Museum in 1911. The only known
dragons, birds, fishes, snakes, lobsters, crabs
Edo-period box inscription referring to one (a
and insects. The earliest known jizai okimono
small dragon) calls it a bunchin (paperweight).
Articulated figure of a dragon by Myochin Kiyoharu, 33.6 cm long. | The British Museum (Reg. HG.371) © The trustees of the British Museum.
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JIZAI OKIMONO A russet-iron articulated model of a snake _ 20th century _ Lenght: 105 cm _ Signed: Muneaki 宗明
This russet-iron snake is constructed of
produces a work of art and the master engraves
numerous hammered plates joined inside the
his signature on it, or “daimei”, when even the
body; the head is incised with scales and fitted
signature, with the master’s name, is written by
with a hinged jaw opening to reveal a movable
the actual maker.
gold tongue; the eyes are embellished with
gilt silver.
of the samurai class in 1876, the demand for
The snake is signed “Muneaki” underside of
armor abruptly decreased and the armorers
jaw. This is the artist name of Ishikawa Masaburo,
responsible for jizai sculptures up to that period
who was working together with his elder brother
stopped making them. Replacing the Myōchin
Muneyoshi (Tanaka Tadayoshi, d. 1958), a metal
school (see page 42), the Tomiki family and the
artist who apprenticed in the Kyoto workshop
Kozan workshop in Kyoto started to produce a
of Takase Kozan (1869-1934); Muneyoshi and
different type of jizai sculpture for a different
Kozan are reputed to be the most representative
clientele. In fact, rather than an armorer’s side-
century and
job, the production of articulated animals for
jizai okimono artists of the 20
th
Muneyoshi is known for his articulated iron snakes. Due to the Japanese “ie” system, anyway, it is likely that a large number of these were actually made by Muneaki, whose signed works are in fact impossible to distinguish from those signed by his brother. This practice of having a single foreman who signed all the production was typical of all Japanese workshops and has two different names, depending on who actually wrote the signature: “daisaku”, when a pupil
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With the Haitōrei Edict and the abolishment
export to the West was their main activity.
KAKUKUZIN-NARI KAWARI KABUTO A samurai helmet shaped as cloth headgear _ Early Edo Period, 17th centuryÂ
The kakuzukin, or squared cap, was formed
and of Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563-1646), lord of
by a rectangular cloth folded and sewn along
Kumamoto domain. The kabuto is decorated
the sides. The decoration over the iron bowl
with a gorgeous maedate representing Amida
imitating this headgear is made of harikake, a
Nyorai standing on a lotus flower with a majestic
mixture of papier-machĂŠ and lacquer, the result
set of rays around him.
of which is both light and solid at the same time. The last plate of the neck guard (shikoro) is laquered in gold. Harikake had been used during the Momoyama period (1573-1715) when generals begun to wear large helmets shaped with unusual and extravagant forms called kawari kabuto. Kakuzukin-nari helmets are known to have been a particular favorite of the second Tokugawa shogun, Hidetada (ruled 1605-23)
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NI-MAI-DŌ TOSEI GUSOKU A purple-laced complete samurai armor _ Edo period, 18th century _ Certified Juyo bunka shiryo (Important Cultural Work) by the Nihon Katchu Bugu Kenkyu Hozon Kai (Association for the Research and Preservation of Japanese Helmets and Armor)
_ Literature: Katchu bugu Juyo bunka shiryo zuroku (Vol. 5), Tôken Shunjû Shinbunsha: Tōkyō, 2014. Pag. 59-60
This complete suit of armor bears in
part of this armour. Tied with two different types
numerous places the kuyō kamon, the “nine-
of plates - iyo-hon-kozane and kiritutsuke-kozane
planets” heraldic crest. This kamon has been
- it is decorated in the center with a grand,
used by only a few clans, including the Sōma,
embossed (uchidashi) golden dragon, applied on
the Toda and the Hosokawa families.
a shakudo-bordered stenciled leather reserve.
The sixty-two plate helmet (kabuto) is made
This ornament is unique and there are no other
with a suji bachi lamellar construction. Like the
recorded suits of armor with such a decoration.
rest of the armour, it is covered in black lacquer
The armour is laced with purple (murasaki) silk, a
and is exquisitely refined by golden rims and
colour that, in medieval Japan, was traditionally
metal applications reproducing the kuyō kamon,
associated
which can be also found lacquered on the visor,
afterwards adopted exclusively by high-ranking
on the cuirass and on the thigh guards (haidate).
samurai for their equipment.
A majestic maedate in the shape of a longhorned shikami (a demon from the Japanese tradition) is placed above the helmet’s visor. The cuirass (dō) is possibly the most extraordinary
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with
the
aristocracy
and
was
K ATA N A An important Bizen samurai sword by the Yoshioka Ichimonji school _ Late Kamakura period, circa 1320 Unsigned _ NBTHK Jūyō Tōken _ Nagasa [length]: 66.8 cm Motohaba [bottom width]: 3.0 cm Sakihaba [top width]: 2.1 cm Sori [curvature]: 1.6 cm Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, tori-zori curvature with chukissaki Kitae [forging pattern]: ko-itame mixed with nagare-hada Hamon [temper line]: choji and sakachoji midare mixed with ko-gunome, in nioi-deki Hataraki [activities]: ko-ashi, yō Boshi [point temper line]: notare-komi with komaru Nakago [tang]: 18.5 cm; o-suriage, mumei, four mekugi-ana; kiri-yasurime [horizontal file marks] Sayagaki: The shirasaya bears an inscription by Sato Kanzan “Bizen no kuni Yoshioka Ichimonji” dated “Autumn 1976” (Showa 51). Origami [certificate]: With a certificate of registration designating this blade as Jūyō Tōken [Important Sword] issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai (Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword), dated 1977 (25th Jūyō session).
This sword is massive and elegant, with a
slender shape and a balanced funbari [width diminishing toward the point]. The jigane is a ko-itame mixed with nagare and shows a very strong choji utsuri. The hamon is in nioideki, with a flamboyant choji-midare which sometimes bends in saka-choji or slows down to become ko-gunome.
The Ichimonji School was founded during
the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) and was active through all the Nambokucho (13331392). It is considered one of the most important schools of production for the Japanese sword. The name of the Ichimonji school comes from the habit of many smiths from this school to sign their works with the character “Ichi” (一), indicating the number one, sometime followed by their name.
Works of the Ichimonji school can be
divided into groups, depending on the period and place of production. Works from the early Kamakura period are classical and subdued; they are generally referred to as Ko-Ichimonji. Around the mid Kamakura the style became more flamboyant and the blades look more massive; these are generally called Fukuoka Ichimonji, from the place where the school was based. In the latter part of the Kamakura period and early Nambokucho the school had moved to Yoshioka in Bizen Province, where the style became even more magnificent. The founder of the Yoshioka Ichiomonji School was Sukeyoshi, probably the grandson of Sukemune of Fukuoka. Blades from the Yoshioka Ichimonji school show a grand but elegant sugata, well-forged iron with a soft jigane, generally composed of mokume-hada mixed with o-hada; utsuri, as in this blade, can be strong and beautiful. The hamon is that typical of Bizen tradition, with chojimidare showing splendid hataraki.
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Concept & Graphic layout | Haikudesign.it Printing | Trevisostampa.it
Giuseppe Piva | Japanese Art via San Damiano, 2 20122 Milano giuseppepiva.com info@giuseppepiva.com +39.02.3656.4455