Gregg Baker Asian Art - 2013 Recent Aquisitions

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2013

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asian art

recent acquisitions 2013

1.

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with trailing vines.

Japan 17th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 67 in x W. 143½ in (170 cm x 364 cm)

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with botan (peony) behind sudare (blinds) and a fence.

2.

Japan 18th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 56Ÿ in x W. 57ž in (143 cm x 147 cm)

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with gokurakuchō (birds of paradise), a perching kitsutsuki (woodpecker) and a gnarled matsu (pine tree) overgrown with tsuta (Virginia creeper).

3.

Japan 17th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 64¼ in x W. 74½ in (163 cm x 190 cm)

4.

A bronze usubata flower vessel.

Tomobako inscribed on the lid: kodō kaki (old bronze flower vessel) Japan 19th century Meiji period Dimensions: H.12¼ in (31 cm)

A bronze vase decorated with a band of repeating key pattern around the neck.

5.

China 17th century Ming Dynasty Dimensions: H. 10¼ in (26 cm)

6.

A bronze suibyō (Buddhistic ceremonial vessel).

Japan 16th centrury Muromachi/Momoyama period Dimensions: H. 11½ in (29.2 cm)

7.

A bronze utilitarian vessel with small handles.

Japan 16th/17th century Muromachi/Momoyama period Dimensions: H. 6¼ in (15.9 cm)

8. A bronze vase inlaid with gilt, silver and shakudō (gold-copper alloy).

Signed: Seihō-zo (made by Seihō) Japan 19th century Meiji Period Dimensions: H. 9¾ in (25 cm)

9.

A bronze vase with animal-mask handles.

China 16th/17th century Ming Dynasty Dimensions: H. 11 in (27.9 cm)

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8.

A pair of paper fusuma (sliding doors) painted in ink and colour on a silver ground with mangetsu (full moon) and susuki (pampas grass).

10.

Signed: Chinjō gū Seal: Chinjō Japan 20th century Taishō 11 (1922) Dimensions: H. 68 in x W. 76¼ in (173 cm x 193.5 cm)

11. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink on a silver ground with take (bamboo).

Signed: Hōbun hitsu (brushwork by Hōbun) Seals: Top: illegible.

Bottom: Hōbun Japan 20th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 67¾ in x W. 74¼ in (172 cm x 188.5 cm)

12. A two-fold screen painted in ink and colour on silk with a kawasemi (kingfisher) perched on the branch of a weeping willow overhanging a river and a tonbo (dragonfly) hovering over the water’s surface.

Signed: Gyokusen Seals Top left: illegible Bottom left: Gyokusen Top right: illegible Japan 19th/20th century Meiji period Dimensions: H. 70ž in x W. 78 in (179.5 cm x 197.5 cm)

13.

A kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink and colour on silk with unagi (eel) and koi (carp) swimming in a river.

Signed: Kan’ei Seals: illegible Awasebako (fitted box) inscription: Nishiyama Kan’ei hitsu. Unagi no zu. (Painted by Nishiyama Kan’ei. Eel painting.)

Japan 19th century Edo/Meiji period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 67¾ in x W. 11 in (170 cm x 28 cm) Painting: H. 44¼ in x W. 10¼ in (113 cm x 26 cm) Nishiyama Kenichiro (1833-1897). G ō (Art Name): Kan’ei

14.

A bronze incense burner in the form of a lion.

China 17th century Ming Dynasty Dimensions: H.10 in x W. 9 in (25 cm x 23 cm)

15.

A bronze incense burner in the form of a qilin (Chinese mythological creature).

China 17th century Ming Dynasty Dimensions: H. 7½ in x W. 6½ in (18 cm x 16.5 cm)

16. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with kawasemi (kingfisher), reeds and irises.

Signed: Hokkyō Yūtei hitsu Seal: illegible Japan 18th/19th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 66½ in x W. 75¼ in (168.5 cm x 191 cm)

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with keshi (poppies), kiku (chrysanthemums), nadeshiko (carnations), tanpopo (dandelions) and other wild flowers amongst clouds of sunago (sprinkled gold).

17.

Seal: Inen Japan 17th/18th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 43 in x W. 108½ in (109 cm x 275 cm)

18.

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with scattered fans over a river.

Japan 16th/17th century Momoyama/Edo period Dimensions: H. 41½ in x W. 114 in (105 cm x 289.5 cm)

19. A kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink on paper with two branches of yamazakura (mountain cherry blossom).

This scroll is a gassaku (collaboration) between two artists, with calligraphy by Rengetsu and painting by Kishi Renzan.

Poem signed: Rengetsu asu mo kite min to omoeba ie zuto ni teori mo oshiki yama zakura hana It would be such a pity to snap even a single branch of these mountain cherry blossoms, so let’s return tomorrow to view them again Painting signed: Renzan Gantoku Seals: Gantoku, Shido Japan 19th century Edo period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 67½ in x W. 12 in (171 cm x 30 cm) Painting: H. 37½ in x W. 11 in (95 cm x 27.5 cm)

A kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink on paper with a pair of hamaguri (clam shells) and seaweed. This scroll is a gassaku (collaboration) between two artists, with calligraphy by Rengetsu and painting by Atomi Kakei.

20.

Poem signed: Rengetsu nana jyuu nana sai (Rengetsu, aged seventy-seven) natsukashiki fude no nioi no ejimagata shiohi asobi no iezuto zo kore In the familiar smell of an ink-brush, the Ejima tidelands*… a memento of playing in the ebb and flow. *The Ejima-gata tidelands is a popular beauty spot in Hyogo prefecture and is associated with many classical Japanese poems.

Painting signed: Kakei joshi (Ms Kakei) Seal: Kakei Japan 19th century Edo period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 69½ in x W. 10¼ in (176 cm x 26 cm) Painting: H. 38 in x W. 9½ in (96.5 cm x 24 cm)

21.

A Tokoname storage jar.

Japan 15th/16th century, Muromachi period Dimensions: H. 20 in x Diam. 17½ in (51 cm x 44.5 cm)

22. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour with a pair of uguisu (Japanese nightingales) amidst branches and berries.

Signed: Shūkō Seal: Shigeo Japan 20th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 68½ in x W. 72¼ in (173.5 cm x 183 cm)

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour with ajisai (hydrangea), hakumokuren (white magnolia) and momiji (maple), with two shijū-kara (Japanese tits) perching on branches amidst the thick summer foliage.

23.

Signature: Ryōshi Seal: illegible Japan 20th century Shōwa period ca.1930-1940 Dimensions: H. 69 in x W. 72¾ in (175 cm x 184.5 cm)

24.

A two-fold textile screen with multicoloured cresting waves.

Seal: Gekka

Japan 20th century Shōwa period Dimensions: H. 65¾ in x W. 70¾ in (167 cm x 179.5 cm)

A gilt-wood figure of Amida Nyorai (Amitābha) standing on a lotus base, the head encircled by a zukō (halo). The head has gyokugan (inlaid crystal eyes) and is also adorned with crystals representing the byakugō (white spiralling hair) on the forehead and the nikkei-shu (red jewel on the protrusion on top of the Buddha’s head). The right arm raised and the left arm extended with the forefinger and thumb of each hand forming a circle represent the raigōin mudra, welcoming the believer into Amida’s Western Paradise.

25.

Japan 15th century Muromachi period Dimensions: Figure and stand: H. 45½ in (115 cm) Figure: H. 33 in (84 cm)

A silk on paper kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink and colour with JizĹ? Bosatsu. He is wearing floating gold robes applied in kirigane (cut gold) and is seated in kekka fusa (lotus position) on a lotus throne. In his right hand he holds a staff with six rings and in the left hand a hĹ?ju (the jewel which grants desires). Separate circular overlapping halos surround the head and the body.

26.

Japan 13th/14th century Kamakura period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 40Âź in x W. 12 in (102 cm x 30.5 cm) Painting: H. 11 in x W. 6 in (28 cm x 15 cm)

A lacquer and gilt wood sculpture of Kannon Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) seated in kekka fuza (lotus position) on a lotus pedestal raised on top of a dais, the hands in hokkai jĹ?-in, mudra of the meditation of the world of cosmic law. The head is adorned with a decorative crown at the base of a tall top-knot. The face has gyokugan (inlaid crystal eyes) and a crystal also represents the byakugĹ? (white spiralling hair) on the forehead.

A gilt copper necklace and armlets adorn the body.

27.

Japan 16th/17th century Momoyama/Edo period Dimensions: Figure and base: H. 28 in (71 cm) Figure: H. 16ž in (42.5 cm)

28.

A furosaki paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with take (bamboo) and rocks.

Japan 17th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 21½ in x W. 72Ÿ in (54 cm x 183 cm)

29.

An eight-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground. Each panel painted with a single seasonal motif of red or white ume (plum blossom), matsu (pine), take (bamboo), sakura (cherry blossom) and kiku (chrysanthemum).

Signed: Hokﾅ行ai hitsu (painted by Hokﾅ行ai) Seal: Hokﾅ行ai Japan 18th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 24 in x W. 77 in (60.5 cm x 195 cm)

30.

A paper kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink with an Ensō and calligraphy.

Signed: Zen Daitoku Gōdō sho (written by Gōdō, formerly of Daitokuji Temple) Seals: Upper right: Butsuzai-saku (Buddha-treasure-made) Lower left, top: Gōdō Lower left, bottom: Sōken no in (The seal of Sōken) Inscribed: Bunsai ni tsuyu (flowery words are like dew, [that evaporates and is without substance]). The inscription is most likely adapted from the Chinese Zen saying in the treatise Hōkyō zanmai (Pao-ching san-mei in Chinese), which consists of 376 characters and was composed by a Chinese Zen monk Dōzan Ryōkai (807- 869). In essence, Satori (Enlightenment) cannot be described in words.

Japan 19th century Edo period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 65¾ in x W. 42¼ in (167 cm x 107 cm). Painting: H. 20¼ in x W. 41 in (51 cm x 104 cm)

31.

A paper kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink with the character ichi (one).

Signed: Daitokuji Ōbai-shu Taigen (Taigen, Master of Ōbai-in temple, Daitokuji Temple) Seals: Upper right: Mujinzō Lower left, top: Ōbai (of Ōbai temple) Lower left, bottom: Taigen Japan 20th century Shōwa period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 44¾ in x W. 28 in (113.5 cm x 71 cm) Painting: H.12 in x W. 27¼ in (30 cm x 69 cm)

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a silver ground with a pair of suzume (sparrows) in flight through a chikurin (bamboo grove) of red bamboo.

32.

Signed: Bokuchi issi (Bokuchi, recluse) Seals: Upper-right: illegible; Lower-left, top: Bokuchi roshu (lit. an old guardian fanatical about ink); Lower-left, bottom: ga(no)ura shōgai (a lifetime dedicated to painting) Inscription: (translated from Chinese) Ten-thousand bamboos stand in the dense bamboo grove, like red jades glistening with moisture. As if after the passage of a strong wind and heavy rain. The strong wind has ceased, leaving the bamboo resembling corals. The courtyard garden is lit under the clear moon, the phoenix is yet to arrive.

Dated: at the beginning of the year of Shoyo (Mizunoto) and Konton (rat) of the Taishō era (January 1924).

Japan 20th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 68¾ in x W. 138 in (174 cm x 350 cm)

33.

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a silver ground with a black cat amongst white yuri (lilies).

Seal: Shūyō Japan 20th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 43¼ in x W. 107¾ in (109.5 cm x 273.5 cm)

34.

A paper kakemono (hanging scroll) of a female yurei (ghost) and moon.

Signed: Toshikata Seal: Ōsai Japan 19th/20th century Meiji period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 85¼ in x W. 23 in (216 cm x 58 cm) Painting: H. 49¾ in x W.17¾ in (126 cm x 44.5 cm)

glossary 1. A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with trailing vines.

Japan 17th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 67 in x W. 143½ in (170 cm x 364 cm)

4. A bronze usubata flower vessel.

Tomobako inscribed on the lid: kodō kaki (old bronze flower vessel) Japan 19th century Meiji period Dimensions: H.12¼ in x W.6¼ in (31 cm x 16 cm)

The simple yet dynamic design of trailing vines set against large expanses of gold are typical features seen in work by artists of the Rinpa school. Originally introduced by Tawaraya Sōtatsu in the early 17th century, the Rinpa style was revived by Ogata Kōrin in the late 17th century and a second revival took place in the late 18th century, led by Sakai Hōitsu. As a revival of the classical courtly tradition and the Yamato-e painting style, Rinpa artists painted traditional subject matter, although presented these in a new bold, stylised manner to produce decorative paintings in a range of formats including hanging scrolls, album leaves, fans and folding screens with gold or silver backgrounds.

For a pair of six-fold screens with a similar design using Morning Glories as a subject matter see: Pl.56, p.172, ‘Morning Glories’ by Suzuki Kiitsu (1796–1858) in ‘Silver Wind: The Arts of Sakai Hōitsu’.

See also: A six-fold screen, 17th century, ‘Landscape with Flowering Vines’, in the collection of the Freer Sackler, The Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art, F1903.241.

The classical form of usubata (thin rim) with a broad flat rim often edged with an upturning lip is a Japanese design, although the main part of its body echoes Chinese vessels. Usubata have been in use since the 16th century and favoured by Senkō II, a renowned master of Ikenobo, the oldest school of ikebana (flower arrangement).

Throughout the ages the form of usubata evolved together with changing tastes and trends in the flower arranging art. From the mid Edo period the mouth of the vessel was often splayed rather than horizontal and could be filled with water. In the early 19th century this type of usubata was popularised by Murata Seimin (1761–1837) and his Edo based school.

For vessels of similar style see: Flower bronzes of Japan, pp. 96-103

2. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with gokurakuchō (birds of paradise), a perching kitsutsuki (woodpecker) and a gnarled matsu (pine tree) overgrown with tsuta (Virginia creeper).

Japan 17th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 64¼ in x W. 74½ in (163 cm x 190 cm) The matsu (pine tree) is a motif often seen in traditional Japanese painting and is a symbol of longevity, steadfastness and courage due to its ability to remain green and fresh even during the fiercest of winters.

For screens with similar subject matter see: Japanese Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, pp.150–153, 226, pl. 49 and The Age of Gold, The Days of Dreams. In Praise of the Paintings of the Momoyama Period, pp. 81-2, pl. 14;

3. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with botan (peony) behind sudare (blinds) and a fence.

Japan 18th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 56¼ in x W. 57¾ in (143 cm x 147 cm) Botan (tree peony) is considered by the Chinese to be the king of flowers and regarded as a symbol of good fortune, high honour and the spring season. Introduced to Japan from China in the Nara period, the peony was first imported and valued for its medicinal properties; the skin of the root was used to treat illnesses of blood circulation and fever. By Heian times, however, the Japanese also prized the showy flower as an ornamental plant and in succeeding centuries, they devoted considerable effort to its cultivation.

It has been used as a design motif in both the fine and applied arts throughout the centuries, and is also popular as a family crest.

10. A pair of paper fusuma (sliding doors) painted in ink and colour on a silver ground with mangetsu (full moon) and susuki (pampas grass).

Signed: Chinjō gū Seal: Chinjō Japan 20th century, Taishō 11 (1922) Dimensions: H. 68 in x W. 76¼ in (173 cm x 193.5 cm)

6. A bronze suibyō (Buddhistic ceremonial vessel).

Japan 16th centrury Muromachi/Momoyama period Dimensions: H. 11½ in x Diam. 5½ in (29.2 cm x 14 cm) The suibyō is a water vessel which is carried by Buddhist priests as one of the eighteen objects allotted to them to serve their daily needs. These vessels could be made of clay, bronze or iron.

8. A bronze vase inlaid with gilt, silver and shakudō (gold-copper alloy).

Signed: Seihō-zo (made by Seihō) Japan 19th century Meiji Period Dimensions: H. 9¾ in x Diam. 8 in (25 cm x 20.3 cm) Uchijima Ichibei (c.1890–c.1950). Gō (art name): Seihō (‘Blue Phoenix’).

Uchijima Ichibei was born in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture. In 1928 he taught at the now Takaoka Prefecture Arts and Crafts High School.

He taught many students who went on to become renowned artists, including Kanamori Eiichi (1908–2001) who was appointed as a Living National Treasure in 1989. Uchijima contributed to the production of the metal fittings for the bronze door of the National Diet building. He won prizes at the 12th and 13th Teiten (Japan Imperial Exhibition) in 1931 and 1932, and won the grand prize of honour at the Brussels International Exposition in 1935.

9. A bronze vase with animal-mask handles.

China 16th/17th century Ming Dynasty Dimensions: H. 11 in x Diam. 6¼ in (27.9 cm x 15.9 cm) Inscription on base of vase: This wonderful bronze mirror was made by the old man of Huzhou (now called Wu Xing Zhejiang), a region famous for its mirrors.

The base of this vase was made from a Chinese bronze mirror. Bronze mirrors were exported from Huzhou, China to Japan from the late Heian period (794–1185) until the Kamakura period (1185–1333).

Reverse of the doors.

Chinjō is the art name of an early 20th century artist with the family name Toyama. Little information is known about this artist, although there are two well known artists of the Maruyama Shijo School who use the same character for ‘chin’ in their art names – Ōnishi Chinnen (1792–1851) and his student Awashima Chingaku (1823–1889), making it very probable that Chinjō was a disciple of Chingaku, taking the same character for his art name as his masters. Ōnishi Chinnen was a samurai attached to the Tokugawa government, and was a Shijō artist famous for his kachōga (bird and flower paintings) who studied under Tani Bunchō.

Awashima Chingaku was a Nanga painter who worked in Edo. A full moon can be seen through the swaying pampas grass which fades into the mists of the plain. The full moon and pampas grass are traditionally paired as symbols of autumn in Japanese art and poetry.

The full moon which appears closest to the autumnal equinox (known in English as the harvest moon) appears larger and brighter than at any other time of year, and seems to have a red glow. It is for these reasons that the Japanese developed the custom of o-tsukimi (moon-viewing) in mid-autumn when the harvest moon rises.

Though the moon’s beauty can be appreciated at any time of year, in Japan doing so is strongly connected with autumn. In haiku poetry the word tsuki (moon) is synonymous with autumn. For the Japanese, whose culture is so connected to the changing of the seasons and the

glossary appreciation of natural beauty, viewing the autumn moon came to be one of the most cherished activities of the year. Countless works of art in poetry and painting focus on the moon as their major motif, suggesting not only beauty but continuous change and also revival.

During moon-viewing, the Japanese make offerings to the moon by placing seasonal crops, plants and full-moon shaped round rice dumplings in a place exposed to the moonlight. Susuki (pampas grass) stalks are also laid out, and these act as antennae which attract the spirit of the moon to the offerings. *On the reverse of the doors, there is an ink painting by the same artist along with a passage written in Kanbun (classical Chinese writing) describing a scene from a piece of classical Chinese literature. The inscription reads Taishō inu doshi ** chinjō zan ju ** roku (Taishō year of the dog (1922), **Chinjō zan blessing **record).

11. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink on a silver ground with take (bamboo).

Signed: Hōbun hitsu (brushwork by Hōbun) Seals: Top: illegible.

Bottom: Hōbun Japan 20th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 67¾ in x W. 74¼ in (172 cm x 188.5 cm) Kikuchi Hōbun (1862–1918) was born in Osaka to the Ichitanis, a family of professional painting mounters. He was later adopted into the Kikuchi family and moved to Kyoto, where he was first trained by Kanō Hōen (1804–1867) and later by the Shijō-school painter Kōno Bairei (1844–1895).

For most of his professional life he was a teacher at the Kyoto Municipal School of Fine Arts and Crafts and was also a frequent exhibitor and juror for the Bunten, the official exhibition society promoting contemporary traditional artists in Japan.

One of the founders of the Kyoto Nihonga school, Hōbun was also one of the four leading painters of his time along with Takeuchi Seihō (1864–1942), Taniguchi Kōkyō (1864–1915), and Tsuji Kakō (1870–1931). His best known pupils are Kawakita Kahō (1875–1940), Yamada Kōun (b.1878), Abe Shumpō and his adopted son Kikuchi Keigetsu (1879–1950). He was noted for his landscapes and kachō-e (birds and flowers).

Hōbun uses varying densities of black ink to create the impression of the bamboo stalks fading into the mist in this asymmetrical design on a ground of silver leaf. In monochrome Nihonga, the technique depends on the modulation of ink tones to obtain a variety of shadings from translucent, through grey tones to black.

Take (bamboo) represents strength, vitality and survival through adversity due to its delicate structure that bends in the wind, but never breaks. It is also known as one of the Three Friends of Winter along with the plum and the pine, each symbolizing perseverance and integrity as they survive the winter without withering. By analysing the strength, dependability and flexibility of the bamboo, the ancient Chinese scholar took these characteristics as his ultimate goals. The painting of bamboo also employs all the calligraphic brush strokes. For these reasons it has come to symbolize the gentleman scholar.

Haiku by Otagaki Rengetsu (1791–1875) on bamboo: This gentleman Grows and grows Most auspiciously Learn from him and You, too, will flourish for ever.

Works by the artist can be found in the collections of: Victoria and Albert Museum, London, University of Michigan Library, Michigan.

12. A two-fold screen painted in ink and colour on silk with a kawasemi (kingfisher) perched on the branch of a weeping willow overhanging a river and a tonbo (dragonfly) hovering over the water’s surface.

Signed: Gyokusen Seals Top left: illegible Bottom left: Gyokusen Top right: illegible Japan 19th/20th century Meiji period Dimensions: H. 70¾ in x W. 78 in (179.5 cm x 197.5 cm)

Mochizuki Gyokusen (18341913). Born: Mochizuki Shigemine. Gō (art names): Gyokkei, Gyokusen. He was born in Kyoto and studied under his father, Mochizuki Shigeteru.

Gyokusen was considered a major artist in the landscape and kachōga (bird and flower painting) tradition, working in the Japanese manner but with considerable Western realism added. He worked for the Imperial Palace when he was barely twenty. In 1880, he helped found the Kyoto Prefectural School of Painting. Gyokusen exhibited in the Naikoku Kaiga Kyō shinkai (Domestic Painting Competitive Exhibition) and the Naikoku Kangyō Hakurankai (Domestic Exposition), winning many prizes. In 1904 he was appointed a Teishitsu Gige-in (Artist to the

Imperial Household) and became a member of the Art Committee of the Imperial Household. His most famous pupil was Kawai Gyokudō (18731957). From 1888-1891 he painted two series: One Hundred Famous Places of Kyoto, and One Hundred Waterfalls.

Works by the artist can be found in: The National Museum, Tokyo; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

13. A kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink and colour on silk with unagi (eel) and koi (carp) swimming in a river.

Signed: Kan’ei Seals: illegible Awasebako (fitted box) inscription: Nishiyama Kan’ei hitsu. Unagi no zu.

(Painted by Nishiyama Kan’ei. Eel painting.)

Japan 19th century Edo/Meiji period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 67¾ in x W. 11 in (170 cm x 28 cm) Painting: H. 44¼ in x W. 10¼ in (113 cm x 26 cm) Nishiyama Kenichiro (1833-1897). Gō (Art Name): Kan’ei

Kan’ei was the son and pupil of Nishiyama Hoen (1804–1867), a distinguished Shijō school painter working in Osaka. Kan’ei also lived and worked in Osaka, as a painter and also as a respected Confucian literary scholar who at one time served as advisor to the daimyō (Lord) of the Akashi domain in Hyōgo. Kan’ei excelled at painting figures, animals, and kachōga (bird and flower paintings).

Works by the artist can be found in the collection of the British Museum, London.

glossary 14. A bronze incense burner in the form of a lion.

China 17th century Ming Dynasty Dimensions: H.10 in x W. 9 in (25 cm x 23 cm) Although not indigenous to China, lions are known to have been imported as gifts to the emperor, and their symbolic representation was introduced later via Buddhism which portrayed them as the defender of the law and protector of sacred buildings. For this reason, they are often found at the entrance to temples and homes.

15. A bronze incense burner in the form of a qilin (Chinese mythological creature).

China 17th century Ming Dynasty Dimensions: H. 7½ in x W.6½ in (H.18 cm x W.16.5 cm) The qilin is a Chinese mythological creature whose rare appearance coincides with the imminent birth or death of a sage or illustrious ruler.

The first qilin is said to have appeared in the garden of the legendary Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) in 2697 BC, which was believed to bear testimony to the benevolent nature of the ruler. In the 6th century BC, the advent of a great sage was foreseen when a qilin appeared to the pregnant mother of Confucius, whereupon the creature coughed up an inscribed jade tablet that foretold the future greatness of the unborn child. The death of Confucius was later foreshadowed by a qilin being injured by a charioteer.

The name qilin is a combination of the two Chinese characters meaning ‘male’ and ‘female’. It is often referred to by those in the West as the ‘Chinese unicorn’ due to its single horn. The qilin has a gentle disposition, and is seen as a good omen that brings prosperity.

16. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with kawasemi (kingfisher), reeds and irises.

Signed: Hokkyō Yūtei hitsu Seal: illegible Japan 18th/19th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 66½ in x W. 75¼ in (168.5 cm x 191 cm) Ishida Yoshiaki (1756-1815). Gō (art name): Yūtei.

Ishida Yoshiaki was a Kanō school painter, born in Kyoto. He shared the same art name, Yūtei, as his father, Ishida Moriyoshi, his brother, Ishida Moriyoshi, and he also passed it onto his son Ishida Nobuaki, all of whom were successful artists in their own right.

Yoshiaki’s father, Ishida Moriyoshi (1721– 1786) had originally also trained as a Kanō school painter before going on to develop his own style by combining the elements of various painting schools. Moriyoshi became best known as the teacher of Maruyama Ōkyo, who

himself went on to become one of Japan’s most celebrated artists having introduced realism into Japanese painting for the first time. Ishida Yoshiaki inherited his father’s talent and even exceeded his father’s accomplishments, being awarded the rank of Hokkyō as seen in the signature on this screen, an honorary title conferred on distinguished artists.

Yoshiaki masterfully creates a strong composition on this screen by leaving most of the gold ground blank and introducing only the key elements of a swooping kingfisher and a simple arrangement of reeds, irises and water lily leaves in one corner. The irises fade as they reach into the centre of the composition, evoking the impression that they are being enveloped by a gentle mist hanging over the water’s surface. The blue irises shown in the screen have the distinctive shape of kakitsubata (rabbit-ear irises), a motif of Japanese art made famous by Ogata Kōrin with his iconic ‘Irises’ screens of the early 1700s.

17. A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with keshi (poppies), kiku (chrysanthemums), nadeshiko (carnations), tanpopo (dandelions) and other wild flowers amongst clouds of sunago (sprinkled gold).

Seal: Inen Japan 17th/18th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 43 in x W. 108½ in (109 cm x 275 cm)

screen, before rising again towards the left as if the fans are being lifted by a gentle gust of wind.

The fans are each decorated with a different, often abstract and simple, design. Several of the fans feature flowers, another, golden clouds, and another is decorated with scattered incense packets. An open fan on the right reveals a bold, geometric design with its red and black sections separated by a ‘lightening strike’ shape, a pattern known as katami-gawari which became popular for kimono designs in the Momoyama period and which can also be seen on the distinctive black and gold Kodaiji makie lacquerware of the early 1600s.

The Japanese have decorated paper folding fans with paintings since at least the twelfth century, and the first folding screens to feature scattered fans appeared in the fifteenth century. It became popular around this time to paste or paint fans over a background of flowing water, a type of imagery that may have evolved from the medieval pastime of casting fans into a flowing river for a final appreciation of their beauty as they floated downstream when discarded at the end of summer.

A story that appears in the Ansai zui-hitsu (Essays by Ansai), a collection of essays on miscellaneous subjects by the antiquarian Ise Sadatake (1717–1784), suggests one explanation for this fashion.

According to the tale, an Ashikaga shogun of the Muromachi period was on his way to the Kyoto temple of Tenrūji when one of his vassals accidentally dropped his master’s fan into the Ōi River from the bridge, Togetsukyō. Taking their cue from the vassal, all the other members of the shogun’s retinue followed suit and tossed their fans into the water.

Screens painted with the fans-and-stream motif were often installed in shogunal residences.

The artist Sōtatsu (fl. early 17th century) and his Tawaraya atelier produced many screens mounted with painted fans from the early 1600s and the paintings seen on several of the fans in this screen are reminiscent of Sōtatsu’s compositions, probably inspired by his distinctive style of painting which would later become known as Rinpa.

Fans continue to serve not only a functional role for the Japanese, but also provide an intimate surface for painting and poetry and are the epitome of an elegant accessory.

A similar example of a six-fold screen with scattered fans over a river, ‘Fans and Clouds over Rocks and Water’ can be seen in the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.

The “Inen” seal is regarded as a trademark of the Tawaraya workshop (or the Sōtatsu workshop), led by Tawaraya Sōtatsu (died ca.1640), who was the founder of the Rinpa style of painting. Tawaraya Sōtatsu also used the “Inen” seal himself, although only until he was granted the honorary rank of “Hokkyō” in around 1624. The leading pupil of Sōtatsu in the Tawaraya workshop was given the “Inen” seal by Sōtatsu ca. late 1620s and is referred to as “Painter of the Inen seal”. He was particularly skilled at paintings of flowers and grasses and produced several famous works including ‘Silk Tree, Flowers and Grasses’, Freer Gallery of Art. This artist went on to lead the “Inen” seal group who produced fans and ink paintings in Kyoto in an endeavor to promote the Sōtatsu style.

For a similar example of a six-fold screen with the seal “Inen” see pl.20, pp.50-51, Rinpa Painting Vol. 1: Flowering Plants and Birds of the Four Seasons.

19. A kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink on paper with two branches of yamazakura (mountain cherry blossom). This scroll is a gassaku (collaboration) between two artists, with calligraphy by Rengetsu and painting by Kishi Renzan.

18. A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with scattered fans over a river.

Japan 16th/17th century Momoyama/Edo period Dimensions: H. 41½ in x W. 114 in (105 cm x 289.5 cm)

Poem signed: Rengetsu asu mo kite min to omoeba ie zuto ni teori mo oshiki yama zakura hana

An array of open, closed and partially-open decorated folding fans are scattered over the six panels of this screen, with the movement of the fans viewed from right to left at first dipping towards the centre of the

Painting signed: Renzan Gantoku Seals: Gantoku, Shido Japan 19th century Edo period

It would be such a pity to snap even a single branch of these mountain cherry blossoms, so let’s return tomorrow to view them again

glossary Dimensions: Scroll: H. 67½ in x W. 12 in (171 cm x 30 cm) Painting: H. 37½ in x W. 11 in (95 cm x 27.5 cm) Tomobako (wooden box) inscribed: Rengetsu roni hitsu waka san. Sakura tsuki gasan, Kishi Renzan ga. Old nun Rengetsu composed and inscribed the waka poem. The cherry blossoms and moon painted by Kishi Renzan.

Tomobako (wooden box), inside lid inscribed with hakogaki (note of authentification): uta, asu mo kite, min to omoeba, un’nun. Jinkōin shoji nite. Koen jore wo mitomu. The poem entitled ‘asu mo kite’, authenticated by (Priest) *Koen of the Jinkōin Temple.

Seal: Koen *Tokuda Koen (b.1935) was the head Priest of Jinkō-in Temple and was the chief authenticator of Rengetsu’s works in modern times.

Inner box, inside lid inscribed: Kishi Renzan, sakura. Rengetsu ni san, asu mo kite. Kishi Renzan, cherry blossoms. The poem entitled ‘asu mo kite’ (coming tomorrow again), inscribed by nun Rengetsu.

Seals: Shinshin; Fukū.

Note on paper reads: Poem (as above), by Rengetsu.

Otagaki Rengetsu (1791–1875). Rengetsu was in her lifetime a Buddhist nun, poet, calligrapher, potter and painter. Shortly after her birth in Kyoto to a samurai family with the surname Todo, she was adopted by Otagaki Mitsuhisa who worked at Chion’in, an important Jōdo (Pure Land) sect temple in Kyoto, and was given the name Nobu.

In 1798, having lost her mother and brother, she was sent to serve as a lady-in-waiting at Kameoka Castle in Tanba, where she studied poetry, calligraphy and martial arts, returning home at the age of 16 to marry a young samurai named Mochihisa. They had three children, all of whom died shortly after birth; in 1815 Mochihisa also died.

In 1819 Nobu remarried, but her second husband died in 1823. After enduring the tragic loss of two husbands and all her children, Nobu, only 33 years old, shaved her head and became a nun, at which time she adopted the name Rengetsu (Lotus Moon). She lived with her stepfather, who had also taken vows, near Chion’in. After his death in 1832 Rengetsu began to make pottery, which she then inscribed with her own waka (31-syllable classical poetry) and sold to support herself.

In 1875, having led a long and exceptional life, Rengetsu died in the simple Jinkōin tearoom in Kyoto where she had lived and worked for ten years.

The delicate hand-built tea utensils that she inscribed with hauntingly beautiful poems are unique combinations of poetry, calligraphy and pottery; they were as highly prized in her own lifetime as they are now.

Rengetsu is also known to have inscribed her poems on utensils made by other Kyoto potters. In addition to ceramics, Rengetsu also produced numerous gassaku (jointly created artworks) in the form of paintings, hanging scrolls, and calligraphic works with fellow literati artists and writers, such as Kishi Renzan.

Kishi Renzan (1805–1859). Family name: Gan (Kishi) (originally Aoki).

Given name: Toku or Shōtoku. Azana (alternative, formal names with Chinese reading of kanji): Shidō, Shishin. Nickname: Tokujirō. Gō (art names): Banshōrō, Renzan. Renzan was a Kishi painter from Kyoto who was adopted by his father-in-law and teacher, Kishi Ganku (1756–1838).

He took the first character, Gan, of his father-in-law’s name and the Toku of his own given name, becoming known as Gantoku. As an artist he specialized in landscapes and kachōga (flowers and birds paintings) and gained the greatest reputation of all the second-generation artists of the Kishi school. Following Ganku’s death he became joint leader of the Kishi school along with his brother-in-law, Kishi Gantai. Renzan painted the walls of the Room of the Wild Geese in the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Works by Rengetsu can be found in the collections of: The Tokyo National Museum and the Michigan Museum of Art. For a detailed biography of Rengestu’s life and catalogue of selected works by the artist, see ‘Black Robe White Mist: art of the Japanese Buddhist nun Rengestu’, National Gallery of Australia, 2007.

Works by Renzan can be found in the collections of: The Ashmolean, Oxford and the Freer Sackler Gallery, Washington.

20. A kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink on paper with a pair of hamaguri (clam shells) and seaweed. This scroll is a gassaku (collaboration) between two artists, with calligraphy by Rengetsu and painting by Atomi Kakei.

Poem signed: Rengetsu nana jyuu nana sai (Rengetsu, aged seventyseven) natsukashiki In the familiar smell of an ink-brush, fude no nioi no the Ejima tidelands*… ejimagata a memento of playing shiohi asobi no in the ebb and flow. iezuto zo kore *The Ejima-gata tidelands is a popular beauty spot in Hyogo prefecture and is associated with many classical Japanese poems.

Painting signed: Kakei joshi (Ms Kakei) Seal: Kakei Japan 19th century Edo period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 69½ in x W. 10¼ in (176 cm x 26 cm) Painting: H. 38 in x W. 9½ in (96.5 cm x 24 cm) Awasebako (wooden box) inscribed with hakogaki (note of authentication): Rakuhoku Jinkōin kankyo, Issui-o sho. (Old man Issui of Jinkōin Temple, Rakuhoku, Kyoto) This inscription is by Priest Issui of the Jinkōin Temple where Rengestsu resided from 1865 until her death in December, 1875. The word kankyo indicates that at the time of this inscription, Priest Issui was in retirement but living at the Jinkōin, suggesting that he wrote this inscription in his later years, possibly around 1940 according to other letters of authentication of Rengetsu’s calligraphy that he wrote around this time.

Otagaki Rengetsu (1791–1875). For Rengetsu’s biographical information see the previous entry in the glossary, catalogue no.19.

Atomi Kakei (1840–1926). Atomi Kakei was a female painter and

calligrapher who studied painting under Maruyama Oritsu, Nakajima Raisho and Hine Taizan. Almost fifty years younger than Rengestsu, they were both active throughout the period of dramatic social change leading up to the Meiji Resoration in 1868. Like Rengestsu, Kakei worked independently as an artist during these times, and also trained younger painters such as Hatano Kagai (b.1863) whose screens are now on permanent exhibition at the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art. Kakei not only worked as a painter, but also as an educator, founding the Atomi School for Women in Tokyo in 1875. This academy catered to wealthy and aristocratic young women mainly from the nobility and was in essence a ‘finishing school’, offering classes not only in art but also in calligraphy, mathematics, needlework, koto-playing, flowerarranging, poetry, and Japanese and Chinese studies. As headmistress of the school, Kakei was said to have been well-liked by her pupils and was known for instilling an atmosphere of freedom and liveliness 1 .

Works by Rengetsu can be found in the collections of: The Tokyo National Museum and the Michigan Museum of Art. For a detailed biography of Rengestu’s life and catalogue of selected works by the artist, see ‘Black Robe White Mist: art of the Japanese Buddhist nun Rengestu’, National Gallery of Australia, 2007.

For a biography of Atomi Kakei, see (in Japanese) ‘Atomi Kakei Joshi den: denki Atomi Kakei’ by Takahashi Shōsuke, 1989. Works by the artist can be found in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum.

1 Lost Leaves: Women Writers of Meiji Japan, Rebecca L. Copeland, University of Hawaii Press, 2000, p.57

glossary

21. A Tokoname storage jar.

Japan 15th/16th century, Muromachi period Dimensions: H. 20 in (51 cm) x Diam. 17½ in (44.5 cm) During the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1333–1568) periods, the kiln sites at Seto, Tamba, Shigaraki, Tokoname, Echizen and Bizen produced durable, high-fired stoneware vessels.

Tokoname jars were made by piling coils of clay, smoothing the interior and exterior surfaces, and allowing the clay to dry before adding another section. The wide rim and mouth were then formed on a potter’s wheel and added to the top of the jar. The small base allowed the vessel to stand safely on a narrow step on the steep slope of a rising kiln floor; such kilns were built into the side of a hill and used wood for firing. The natural ash glazes took about a week to ten days to form and created unevenly coloured and randomly glazed surfaces often spotted with particles of fired earth that dropped from the kiln ceiling. Tokoname, which focused on agricultural storage vessels, was the largest centre of ceramic production in medieval Japan.

The rustic qualities embodied in these stone wares were perfectly suited for use in chanoyū (the tea ceremony) which, from the late fifteenth century, had become increasingly imbued with the newly emerging wabi-sabi sensibility, emphasising an admiration for the imperfect over the perfect.

22. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour with a pair of uguisu (Japanese nightingales) amidst branches and berries.

Signed: Shūkō Seal: Shigeo Japan 20th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 68½ in x W. 72¼ in (173.5 cm x 183 cm) Yoshida Shūkō (1887–1946), real name Yoshida Seiji. Gō (art name): Shūkō. Shūkō was born in Kanazawa and later moved to Tokyo where he graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1910. He studied under Terazaki Kōgyō (1866–1919), a painter of landscapes who also

produced woodblock prints of bijin (beauties), kachō-e (birds and flowers), war prints and shunga (erotic scenes). Shūkō developed a painting style of the fukko yamato-e school (traditional Japanese painting revival) and showed his work at the Bunten (Imperial Fine Arts Academy exhibition) in 1918 and 1919, and received an honourable mention in the 1923 Teiten (the Bunten’s later name). He was also a founding member of the Nihonga-in (Institute of Japanese-style painting) and a member of the Tomoe-kai (Tomoe Group).

The uguisu (Japanese nightingale) is celebrated in Japan for its singing. The term hatsune in Japanese prose and poetry means literally ‘first sound’ or ‘first note’, but is synonymous with the first hearing of the Japanese nightingale’s song in the New Year.

Works by the artist can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.

23. A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour with ajisai (hydrangea), hakumokuren (white magnolia) and momiji (maple), with two shijū-kara (Japanese tits) perching on branches amidst the thick summer foliage.

Signature: Ryōshi Seal: illegible Japan 20th century Shōwa period ca.1930-1940 Dimensions: H. 69 in x W. 72¾ in (175 cm x 184.5 cm) Nagai Ryōshi (1903–2004) was born in Niigata prefecture on the NorthWest coast of Honshu. He studied painting under Yamaguchi Hoshun (1893–1971), Kobayashi Kokai (1883–1957) and Okumura Togyu (1889–1990) who were all leading painters of the time.

Ryōshi exhibited at the Bunten (Imperial Fine Arts Academy) exhibition in 1943 and in 1967 he received an honourable mention at the Inten (Japan Art Institute) exhibition. Ryōshi went on to achieve the distinguished status of Tokutoku (special member) in recognition of having exhibited at the Inten more than twenty times. In 2004 he celebrated his one hundredth birthday and received the hakujyū-sho (‘one hundred years old’ award). Ryōshi died on 25th December of the

same year. In his hometown of Niigata, he is well known as a painter of herons and ibis. Four of his paintings of toki (Japanese crested ibis) are displayed in the foyer of the Niigata Prefecture Government Office.

Ryōshi published a book of his works in 1981 entitled Nagai Ryōshi gashu; shiki no kachō wo egaku, ‘The Works of Nagai Ryōshi; drawing the birds and flowers of the four seasons’.

Japanese screens would often be decorated with a design specific to the season, in this case the height of summer when the flowers are in full bloom and the maples are at their greenest. Screens such as these with seasonal motifs would be brought out of storage to be used only during the relevant months. The Japanese have long celebrated the changing of the seasons and have a long tradition of portraying this appreciation of the ephemerality of nature in their art. Just as hanging scrolls are often selected to be displayed only for the duration of one tea ceremony, folding screens with seasonal motifs would have been used either as an interior feature as a fitting backdrop, or sometimes outdoors during a special event to complement the surrounding scenery, for example during a cherry-blossom viewing picnic.

Works by the artist can be found in the collection of the Niigata City Museum of Art.

24. A two-fold textile screen with multicoloured cresting waves.

Seal: Gekka Japan 20th century Shōwa period Dimensions: H. 65¾ in x W. 70¾ in (167 cm x 179.5 cm) Minagawa Gekka (1892–1987) was born into a family of physicians in Kyoto and ultimately became one of the most innovative textile artists of modern Japan. Gekka was originally trained in the yūzen technique of dyeing fabric, a special technique developed in Kyoto which involved painting directly on fabric. Seeking a fresh perspective, he went on to study under the famed Nihonga artist Tsuji Kakō, who worked in traditional styles. At the same time, he also studied Western style oil painting at the Kansai Art Institute, a well-known painting school in the Kyoto area.

Through his diverse painting studies, Gekka developed a unique repertoire of motifs which departed from the traditional mould. Rather than reproducing the delicate cherry and plum blossoms associated with Kyoto silks, he instead favoured bold themes such as tropical flowers, or the dynamic cresting waves seen on this screen. The bold patterns and brilliant colours are typical of his work, although close examination reveals a surprising level of intricacy with many layers built up through exacting craftsmanship. Gekka also found an inventive way of approaching the dyeing techniques for his textiles and, based on his studies of ancient Chinese textiles, he reintroduced a complex waxresist dyeing technique, departing from Kyoto’s traditional yūzen dyeing methods. He also often incorporated gold thread from Kyoto’s Nishijin brocade industry, applying it in embroidery, along with newly developed synthetic metallic threads and sequins.

Gekka first exhibited his dyed-textile works in 1927 at Teiten (the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts Exhibition), the most prestigious competition of the day. In 1932 he was awarded first prize at Teiten. In 1960 he was honoured with the Japan Art Academy award for his contribution to advancement of the arts, and in 1972 was a recipient of

glossary the Kyoto bunka kōrōshō (Distinguished Cultural Merit Award). Gekka went on to become a long-standing judge of Nitten (the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition – previously Teiten).

Gekka’s textile works also include large woven hangings for public buildings, kimono, obi (sashes for kimono), haori (short jackets for kimono), ceiling panels for a Buddhist temple, and decorative hangings for the ceremonial carts used in Kyoto’s Gion Festival. Through such works, Gekka played a central role in elevating the status of textile craftsmen to that of sakka (artists) in modern Japan.

See: Minagawa, G. 1979. ‘Art of Dyeing: Minagawa Gekka’. Kyoto: Kyoto Shoin. Works by the artists can be found in the collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.

25. A gilt-wood figure of Amida Nyorai (Amitābha) standing on a lotus base, the head encircled by a zukō (halo). The head has gyokugan (inlaid crystal eyes) and is also adorned with crystals representing the byakugō (white spiralling hair) on the forehead and the nikkei-shu (red jewel on the protrusion on top of the Buddha’s head). The right arm raised and the left arm extended with the forefinger and thumb of each hand forming a circle represent the raigōin mudra, welcoming the believer into Amida’s Western Paradise.

Japan 15th century Muromachi period Dimensions: Figure and stand: H. 45½ in (115 cm) Figure: H. 33 in (84 cm) Belief in Amida as Lord of the Western Paradise rose in popularity during the late 10th century. Based primarily on the concept of salvation through faith, it was not only a religion which appealed to a broad range of people, but also a direct assertion of piety against the dogmatic and esoteric ritual of the more traditional Tendai and Shingon sects. In Amida’s Western Paradise the faithful are reborn, to progress through various stages of increasing awareness until finally achieving complete enlightenment.

26. A silk on paper kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink and colour with Jizō Bosatsu. He is wearing floating gold robes applied in kirigane (cut gold) and is seated in kekka fusa (lotus position) on a lotus throne. In his right hand he holds a staff with six rings and in the left hand a hōju (the jewel which grants desires). Separate circular overlapping halos surround the head and the body.

Japan 13th/14th century Kamakura period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 40¼ in x W. 12 in (102 cm x 30.5 cm) Painting: H. 11 in x W. 6 in (28 cm x 15 cm) Images of Jizō Bosatsu (lit. Womb of the Earth), represented as a simple monk, have existed in Japan from the eighth century on, becoming widely worshipped by the masses at the end of the Heian period with the rise of Pure Land (Amida) Buddhism. He is often shown, particularly in paintings, as an attendant of Amida. His powers include the saving of souls condemned to the various Buddhist hells, guarding travellers safely on their way, protecting warriors in battle, watching over the safety of families and aiding women in pregnancy and childbirth.

Jizō is often shown carrying a staff with six rings, which he shakes to awaken us from our delusions. The six rings likewise symbolize the Six States of Desire and Karmic Rebirth and Jizō’s promise to assist all beings in those realms. In Japanese tradition, the six rings, when shaken, make a sound in order to frighten away any insects or small animals in the direct path of the pilgrim, thus ensuring the pilgrim does not accidentally kill any life form. In Chinese traditions, Jizō shakes the six rings to open the doors between the various realms.

27. A lacquer and gilt wood sculpture of Kannon Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) seated in kekka fuza (lotus position) on a lotus pedestal raised on top of a dais, the hands in hokkai jō-in, mudra of the meditation of the world of cosmic law. The head is adorned with a decorative crown at the base of a tall top-knot. The face has gyokugan (inlaid crystal eyes) and a crystal also represents the byakugō (white spiralling hair) on the forehead. A gilt copper necklace and armlets adorn the body.

Japan 16th/17th century Momoyama/Edo period Dimensions: Figure and base: H. 28 in (71 cm) Figure: H. 16¾ in (42.5 cm) Kannon personifies compassion and is one of the most widely worshipped Buddhist divinities in Japan. The name Kannon, meaning ‘watchful listening’ is the shortened version of his original title, Kanzeon, meaning ‘the one who constantly surveys the world listening for the sounds of suffering’.

According to Pure Land Buddhism the task of Kannon, Bodhisattva of mercy (Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara), is to witness and listen to the prayers and cries of those in difficulty in the earthly realm and to help them achieve salvation. The Lotus Sutra teaches that one will be granted immediate salvation by intently reciting Kannon’s name to ask him for guidance. The three major sutras of Pure Land Buddhism describe Kannon’s descent to meet dying devotees as the principal attendant Bodhisattva of Amida Buddha, along with Seishi Bosatsu.

Veneration of Kannon began in Japan in the late 6th century, soon after Buddhism had been introduced by way of China and Korea. In painting and sculpture, the top of Kannon’s crown is often adorned with a small image of Amida (a kebutsu), symbolising Kannon’s role as Amida’s principal attendant. Kannon is one of the most popular modern deities in Japan’s Pure Land sects and serves various functions including protecting the Six Realms of Karmic Rebirth, acting as patron of motherhood and children, and protecting the souls of aborted children.

28. A furosaki paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with take (bamboo) and rocks.

Japan 17th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 21½ in x W. 72¼ in (54 cm x 183 cm) Take (bamboo) represents strength, vitality and survival through adversity due to its delicate structure that bends in the wind, but never breaks. It is also known as one of the Three Friends of Winter along with the plum and the pine, each symbolizing perseverance and integrity as they

survive the winter without withering. By analysing the strength, dependability and flexibility of the bamboo, the ancient Chinese scholar took these characteristics as his ultimate goals. The painting of bamboo also employs all the calligraphic brush strokes. For these reasons it has come to symbolize the gentleman scholar.

Haiku by Otagaki Rengetsu (1791–1875) on bamboo: This gentleman Grows and grows Most auspiciously Learn from him and You, too, will flourish forever.

For a pair of six-fold screens showing rocks painted in a similar manner see: The 100th Anniversary of the Kyoto National Museum Special Exhibition: The Age of Gold, The Days of Dreams, Pl.15, pp.84-87.

29. An eight-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground. Each panel painted with a single seasonal motif of red or white ume (plum blossom), matsu (pine), take (bamboo), sakura (cherry blossom) and kiku (chrysanthemum).

Signed: Hokōsai hitsu (painted by Hokōsai) Seal: Hokōsai Japan 18th century Edo period Dimensions: H. 24 in x W. 77 in (60.5 cm x 195 cm) Hokōsai (fl.1770s). Original name: Tajima Taikan. Gō (art name): Hokōsai/ Hōkōsai. Hokōsai was a student of the Kanō School painter and renowned netsuke carver Yoshimura Shuzan (1700–1773). Like his master, Hokōsai lived and worked in Abura-machi, Osaka. Hokōsai also followed in his master’s footsteps in being bestowed with the honorary title of Hōgen.

Although based on the Kanō School painting tradition, Hokōsai’s work displays a certain dynamic originality reflecting the relative freeness in painting styles cultivated by artists in Osaka in comparison to the more formal traditional styles which many Kyoto artists were bound by.

A two-fold screen with birds and flowers by the artist can be seen in the collection of the Raigoji Temple, Osaka.

glossary

30. A paper kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink with an Ensō and calligraphy.

Signed: Zen Daitoku Gōdō sho (written by Gōdō, formerly of Daitokuji Temple) Seals: Upper right: Butsuzai-saku (Buddha-treasure-made) Lower left, top: Gōdō Lower left, bottom: Sōken no in (The seal of Sōken) Inscribed: Bunsai ni tsuyu (flowery words are like dew, [that evaporates and is without substance]). The inscription is most likely adapted from the Chinese Zen saying in the treatise Hōkyō zanmai (Pao-ching sanmei in Chinese), which consists of 376 characters and was composed by a Chinese Zen monk Dōzan Ryōkai (807–869). In essence, Satori (Enlightenment) cannot be described in words.

Japan 19th century Edo period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 65¾ in x W. 42¼ in (167 cm x 107 cm) Painting: H. 20¼ in x W. 41 in (51 cm x 104 cm) Gōdō Sōken (1760–1835) 427th Abbot of Daitokuji Temple, Kyoto.

Ensō is a Japanese word meaning “circle” and a concept strongly associated with Zen. Ensō is one of the most common subjects of Japanese calligraphy even though it is a symbol and not a character. It symbolizes the Absolute, enlightenment, strength, elegance, the Universe, and the void; it can also symbolize the Japanese aesthetic itself. As an “expression of the moment” it is often considered a form of minimalist expressionist art.

In Zen Buddhist painting, ensō symbolizes a moment when the mind is free to simply let the body/spirit create. The brushed ink of the circle is usually done on silk or rice paper in one movement (but sometimes the great Bankei used two strokes) and there is no possibility of modification: it shows the expressive movement of the spirit at that time.

Zen Buddhists believe that the character of the artist is fully exposed in how he or she draws an ensō. Only a person who is mentally and spiritually complete can draw a true ensō.

While some artists paint ensō with an opening in the circle, others complete the circle. For the former, the opening may express various ideas, for example that the ensō is not separate, but is part of something greater, or that imperfection is an essential and inherent aspect of existence (the idea of broken symmetry). The principle of controlling the balance of composition through asymmetry and irregularity is an important aspect of the Japanese aesthetic fukinsei, the denial of perfection.

31. A paper kakemono (hanging scroll) painted in ink with the character ichi (one).

Signed: Daitokuji Ōbai-shu Taigen (Taigen, Master of Ōbai-in temple, Daitokuji Temple) Seals: Upper right: Mujinzō Lower left, top: Ōbai (of Ōbai temple) Lower left, bottom: Taigen

Japan 20th century Shōwa period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 44¾ in x W. 28 in (113.5 cm x 71 cm) Painting: H.12 in x W. 27¼ in (30 cm x 69 cm) Tomobako (wooden box) inside lid inscribed: Ichi (one) Daitokuji, Ōbai-shu, Taigen (Taigen, Master of Ōbai-in temple, Daitokuji Temple).

Kobayashi Taigen was born in 1938 in Mukden in Northeast China, when it was under Japanese occupation. He lost both of his parents during the War and was repatriated to Japan as an orphan at the age of six, where he began his Buddhist training at this tender age. In 1961 he graduated from Hanazono University (Zen Buddhist University) in Kyoto and furthered his Zen practice at Shōkokuji Temple (founded in 1382), one of the Kyoto Gozan (Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto). His master was Ōtsu Rekidō (1897-1976), the 130th Head of the Shōkokuji Temple.

He later studied at the Social Welfare Department of Hanazono University, graduating in 1991.

Kobayashi Taigen has been the Zen Chief Priest in residence at Ōbaiin temple, Daitokuji Temple (headquarters of the Rinzai School of Zen) since 1975 and continues to hold this post to the present day. He greatly contributed to the preservation and maintenance of the Ōbai-in temple.

His motto is wagan aigo (with a gentle face and a kind loving word). He is known for his Zen teaching, calligraphy and making bamboo tea scoops.

Ichi (one) is the origin of all the myriad things. Everything in the universe is born from One and returns to One. It is absolute Being, one law that penetrates into millions of Dharma laws. In Buddhism it is known as Jishō-shōjō-shin or Busshō (Buddha Nature).

The concept of painting the character “one” refers to the term Ichi-go ichi-e, literally: “one time, one meeting” which teaches us that we should treasure every encounter, for it will never recur. This idea fits perfectly with Zen Buddhism and its concepts of transience.

Linked with the famed tea master Sen no Rikyū, it is particularly associated with the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Ichi scrolls are often hung in the tea room as a reminder to the participants that each tea ceremony is unique and can never be repeated. Each element of the tea ceremony - the guests present, the season, the particular utensils selected for use, the flowers displayed – these are all changeable and the same combination of elements will never be replicated.

32. A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a silver ground with a pair of suzume (sparrows) in flight through a chikurin (bamboo grove) of red bamboo.

Signed: Bokuchi issi (Bokuchi, recluse) Seals: Upper-right: illegible Lower-left, top: Bokuchi roshu (lit. an old guardian fanatical about ink) Lower-left, bottom: ga(no)ura shōgai (a lifetime dedicated to painting) Inscription: (translated from Chinese) Ten-thousand bamboos stand in the dense bamboo grove, like red jades glistening with moisture. As if after the passage of a strong wind and heavy rain. The strong wind has ceased, leaving the bamboo resembling corals. The courtyard garden is lit under the clear moon, the phoenix is yet to arrive.

Dated: at the beginning of the year of Shoyo (Mizunoto) and Konton (rat) of the Taishō era (January 1924).

Japan 20 th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 68¾” x W. 138” (174cm x 350cm) Hachisu Bokuchi (active during the Taishō period, 1912-1926). Family name: Hachisu. Gō (art name): Bokuchi. Not much is known about this artist, although he is known to have painted other screens depicting Chinese-style landscapes in black ink.

glossary This screen creates an image of a dream-like utopian world anticipating the arrival of the auspicious mythical Phoenix. The screen is inscribed with a Chinese poem with the shichigon zekku format of four lines, each consisting of seven kanji characters. This poem was originally written by Lin Huan (1375–1415), a top scholar in the Imperial exam in 1406 and who became a high ranking official and close adviser to the Ming Emperor Cheng Zu (1360–1424). Interestingly, Bokuchi made two changes to the original poem when inscribing the Chinese characters on this screen, changing ‘clear white cold moon’ to ‘resembling corals’, and changing ‘green jades’ to ‘red jades’ when describing the glistening bamboo.

Take (bamboo) represents strength, vitality and survival through adversity due to its delicate structure that bends in the wind, but never breaks. It is also known as one of the Three Friends of Winter along with the plum and the pine, each symbolizing perseverance and integrity as they survive the winter without withering. By analysing the strength, dependability and flexibility of the bamboo, the ancient Chinese scholar took these characteristics as his ultimate goals. The painting of bamboo also employs all the calligraphic brush strokes. For these reasons it has come to symbolize the gentleman scholar.

Haiku by Otagaki Rengetsu (1791–1875) on bamboo: This gentleman Grows and grows Most auspiciously Learn from him and You, too, will flourish forever.

33. A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a silver ground with a black cat amongst white yuri (lilies).

Seal: Shūyō Japan 20th century Taishō period Dimensions: H. 43¼ in x W. 107¾ in (109.5 cm x 273.5 cm) Shūyō (the first character of this seal means ‘excellence’ and the second character means ‘yang’ of yin-yang, or ‘bright’). The artist who used this seal has not been identified, although the style in which the

seal has been engraved is reminiscent of the Rinpa artist Sakai Hoitsu and therefore suggests that the painter could be a follower of the late Rinpa School.

34. A paper kakemono (hanging scroll) of a female yurei (ghost) and moon.

Signed: Toshikata Seal: Ōsai Japan 19th/20th century Meiji period Dimensions: Scroll: H. 85¼ in x W. 23 in (216 cm x 58 cm) Painting: H. 49¾ in x W.17¾ in (126 cm x 44.5 cm) Toshikata Mizuno (1866–1908), given name Mizuno Kumejirō, gō (art name): Toshikata, Ōsai. A painter and printmaker born in Tokyo, he was a pupil of one of the most famous printmakers of the time, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892). He also studied traditional Japanese painting under Shibata Hoshu and Watanabe Seitei (1851–1918).

Changing tastes during the Meiji period made it extremely difficult for the traditional artists and artisans to earn their living. Young Toshikata worked as a ceramics painter, also producing designs for newspapers illustrating the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895). He became most famous for kuchi-e (frontispieces) for newspapers and soap operas with female readers as their target. Toshikata cooperated with a Tokyo magazine Yamato shinbun and released several series of traditional style prints with various publishers.

Yūrei (ghosts) are figures in Japanese folklore, analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, yū, meaning faint or dim and rei, meaning soul or spirit.

According to traditional Japanese beliefs, all humans have a spirit or soul called a reikon. When a person dies, the reikon leaves the body and enters a form of purgatory, where it waits for the proper funeral and post-funeral rites to be performed, so that it may join its ancestors. If this is done correctly, the reikon is believed to become a protector of the living family and to return yearly in August during the Obon Festival to receive thanks. However, if the person dies in a sudden or violent manner such as murder or suicide, if the proper rites have not been performed, or if they are influenced by powerful emotions such as a desire for revenge, love, jealousy, hatred or sorrow, the reikon is thought to transform into a yūrei, which can then bridge the gap back to the physical world. The yūrei exists on Earth until it can be laid to rest, either by performing the necessary rituals, or resolving the emotional conflict that still ties it to the physical plane. If the rituals are not completed or the conflict is left unresolved, the yūrei will persist in its haunting.

Zenshoan Temple in Tokyo is renowned for its collection of yūrei scrolls, known as the Yūrei-ga gallery. The 50 paintings, most of which date back to the mid 1800s, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the ghastly. The scrolls were collected by Sanyū-tei Enchō, a famous storyteller (rakugo artist) during the Edo era who studied at Zenshoan. Encho is said to have collected the scrolls as a source of inspiration for the ghostly tales he loved to tell in summer. They are open for viewing only in August, the traditional time in Japan for enjoying ghost stories. Images of yūrei are generally shown in the hot and sultry summer months with the intention of giving the viewer a refreshing chill.

Maruyama Ōkyo, founder of the Maruyama school, created the first

known example of the now-traditional yūrei, in his painting The Ghost of Oyuki.

Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai (A Gathering of One Hundred Supernatural Tales) was a popular parlour game during Edo period Japan. The game was a simple one. In a room, as night fell, one hundred candles were lit. Guests and players gathered around the candles, taking turns telling kaidan (ghost stories). After each kaidan, a single candle was extinguished, and the room slowly grew darker and darker.

The process was an evocation, with the final candle believed to summon a supernatural entity. The origin of the game is unknown. It is thought that it was first played amongst the samurai class as a test of courage, and later became fashionable amongst the townsmen.

During the 17th century kaidan increasingly became a popular subject for theatre, literature and other arts. At this time, yūrei began to be given certain attributes in order to distinguish them from living humans, making it easier for viewers to spot yūrei characters at a glance. They are usually dressed in white, the colour of the burial kimono used in Shintō funeral rituals, they have long, black, dishevelled hair, and lack legs or feet.

Often, yūrei are accompanied by a pair of hitodama (human souls) which are depicted as floating flames in blue or green with a long, hair-thin tail.

Works by the artist can be found in the collections of: Allen Memorial Art Museum, Ohio, The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, California, Museés Royaux d’Art et d’Historie, Brussels, Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, The Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

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