The Kura
Sold, with thanks!
Sold, with thanks!
This Toba-e E-maki appears to be a 19th century Gi-ga follower of the later 18th to early 19th century Osaka "Manga-ka" Nichosai (Matsudaira Heisaburo). His humorous images of Hell were quite popular, known as Kakuyu painting. Overall the genre has many names, Gi-ga being all encompassing, Toba-e being descriptive of this particular style, and Kakuyu-fu being the style of Nichosai. It ends with a simple stamp which reads Fish (Gyo/Sakana). It is 11 by 174 inches (28 x 442 cm). Very interesting look into the early world of Manga
The Kura
Sold, Thank you!
Sold, Thank you!
A comic scene in ink on paper of boys herding oxen by Nagasawa Rosetsu spreads across these two low screens. The central characters, one in the lead the second astride one of the behemoths crossing a bridge is distracted by a butterfly floating by above while the beast in front steps on its own rope, pulling his head back to the viewer with a quizzical expression. Other oxen and boys populate the background. All is performed in very soft gray tones with abbreviated detail as if viewed through summer haze, with the leads in dark, quick strokes, creating a dynamic juxtaposition and sense of immediacy. Originally either part of a larger scene, or, more likely, taken from Fusuma doors. They bear the artists seal on one edge. The screens are 188 x 97 cm (74 x 38 inches) and are in fine condition considering their age. A lay Zen practitioner, the motif of ox herding was likely very close to the artists heart, for it is often used metaphorically to describe the stages of a practitioner's progress toward enlightenment (reference the 10 ox herding pictures).
There are many unconfirmed stories of the origins of this artist, what we know is Nagasawa Rosetsu (1754-1799) was born somewhere in the Kansai region near the capitol and moved to Kyoto in 1781, where he became a student of Maruyama Ōkyo. He would later leave Okyo, developing a style unique to himself, and would come to be known as one of the Eccentrics of the Edo period, along with Ito Jakuchu and Soga Shohaku. He worked directly for the Lord of Yodo, a castle town between Kyoto and Osaka. His unorthodox style garnered him many fans, and his paintings decorate the doors and ceilings of a number of Temples throughout the region. According to Hillier in The Uninhibited Brush (1974) “Rosetsu's paintings fall into two very clearly defined categories, with no halfway stage in between. On the one hand, there are those of studied finish, and on the other, those--the great majority--that were clearly the work of a very few minutes of intense activity, whatever the preliminary thought and calculation. We are inclined to think of the first type as early and even untypical, but in fact Rosetsu seems to have executed carefully finished paintings at all stages of his career”. Much copied, genuine works by him are decidedly rare.
There are many unconfirmed stories of the origins of this artist, what we know is Nagasawa Rosetsu (1754-1799) was born somewhere in the Kansai region near the capitol and moved to Kyoto in 1781, where he became a student of Maruyama Ōkyo. He would later leave Okyo, developing a style unique to himself, and would come to be known as one of the Eccentrics of the Edo period, along with Ito Jakuchu and Soga Shohaku. He worked directly for the Lord of Yodo, a castle town between Kyoto and Osaka. His unorthodox style garnered him many fans, and his paintings decorate the doors and ceilings of a number of Temples throughout the region. According to Hillier in The Uninhibited Brush (1974) “Rosetsu's paintings fall into two very clearly defined categories, with no halfway stage in between. On the one hand, there are those of studied finish, and on the other, those--the great majority--that were clearly the work of a very few minutes of intense activity, whatever the preliminary thought and calculation. We are inclined to think of the first type as early and even untypical, but in fact Rosetsu seems to have executed carefully finished paintings at all stages of his career”. Much copied, genuine works by him are decidedly rare.
The Kura
Sold, Thank you!
Sold, Thank you!
A small round heavily lacquered box made to contain incense carved with Peonies by Imperial Artist Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Layer upon layer of lacquer has been applied over time, each subsequent layer allowing for drying, then the entire is carved through with the floral motif. This would likely have been years in the making. This kogo is 3 inches (7.5 cm) diameter and in perfect condition signed underneath Sozan. Sozan was known best for his impeccable celadons, and was one of only five potters ever recognized with the status of Teishitsu Gigei-In (Member of the Imperial Art Academy). Lesser known is his predilection for lacquerware. An ardent Literatus and Sinophile, Sozan would try his hand at various art forms, including painting, calligraphy, carved lacquer, inlayed lacquer, porcelain and pottery.
Suwa Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875. Over the next 25 years he would gravitate between Tokyo and Kanazawa, working at various kilns and research facilities. He again relocated, this time to Kyoto in 1900 to manage the Kinkozan Studio before establishing his own. His name became synonymous with celadon and refined porcelain and was one of only five potters to be named Teishitsu Gigei-in. The Teishitsu Gigei-in were members of the Imperial Art Academy, Perhaps in modern terms one might call them the predecessors to the Living National Treasures. However unlike the LNT, there were only five Pottery artists ever named Teishitsu Gigei-in, Ito Tozan, Suwa Sozan, Itaya Hazan, Miyagawa Kozan, and Seifu Yohei III. He was succeeded by his adopted daughter upon his death. He is held in the Kyoto National Museum among many others.
Suwa Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875. Over the next 25 years he would gravitate between Tokyo and Kanazawa, working at various kilns and research facilities. He again relocated, this time to Kyoto in 1900 to manage the Kinkozan Studio before establishing his own. His name became synonymous with celadon and refined porcelain and was one of only five potters to be named Teishitsu Gigei-in. The Teishitsu Gigei-in were members of the Imperial Art Academy, Perhaps in modern terms one might call them the predecessors to the Living National Treasures. However unlike the LNT, there were only five Pottery artists ever named Teishitsu Gigei-in, Ito Tozan, Suwa Sozan, Itaya Hazan, Miyagawa Kozan, and Seifu Yohei III. He was succeeded by his adopted daughter upon his death. He is held in the Kyoto National Museum among many others.
The Kura
Sold, Thank you!
Sold, Thank you!
A dark forest rises in a field of white, as if still covered in frost or snow, over which is draped a poem brushed in the exquisite script of the poet-nun Otagaki Rengetsu,
Itsu to naki, Tokiwa no sato ha, Hototogisu shinobu hatsune ni, Uzuki wo ya shiru?
With the first cry of the Cuckoo, in this village of Tokiwa
Will the people realize, Spring has arrived?
To the extreme left, the cuckoo flies off the page. Ink on paper in forest green silk extended in a beige with black lacquered wood rollers. The scroll is 50.5 x 113.5 cm (20 x 44-1/2 inches). There are faint water stains in the upper border (see closeup photos). It comes enclosed in an old wooden collector’s box annotated by Nanga artist Ueda Koho (1860-1944). The inscription reads Rengetsu-ni Painting, Attested to by the eyes of the 80 year old man Koho Ueda.
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. Born into a samurai family, she was adopted into the Otagaki family soon after birth, and served as a lady in waiting in Kameoka Castle in her formative years, where she received an education worthy of a Lady of means. Reputed to be incredibly beautiful, she was married and bore three children; however, her husband and all children died before she was twenty. Remarried she bore another daughter, however that child too perished and her husband died while she was just 32. Inconsolable, she cut off her hair to join the nunnery at Chion-in Temple, where she renounced the world and received the name Rengetsu (Lotus Moon). However this was not the end, but only the beginning of a career as artist and poet which would propel her to the top of the 19th century Japan literati art world.
With the first cry of the Cuckoo, in this village of Tokiwa
Will the people realize, Spring has arrived?
To the extreme left, the cuckoo flies off the page. Ink on paper in forest green silk extended in a beige with black lacquered wood rollers. The scroll is 50.5 x 113.5 cm (20 x 44-1/2 inches). There are faint water stains in the upper border (see closeup photos). It comes enclosed in an old wooden collector’s box annotated by Nanga artist Ueda Koho (1860-1944). The inscription reads Rengetsu-ni Painting, Attested to by the eyes of the 80 year old man Koho Ueda.
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. Born into a samurai family, she was adopted into the Otagaki family soon after birth, and served as a lady in waiting in Kameoka Castle in her formative years, where she received an education worthy of a Lady of means. Reputed to be incredibly beautiful, she was married and bore three children; however, her husband and all children died before she was twenty. Remarried she bore another daughter, however that child too perished and her husband died while she was just 32. Inconsolable, she cut off her hair to join the nunnery at Chion-in Temple, where she renounced the world and received the name Rengetsu (Lotus Moon). However this was not the end, but only the beginning of a career as artist and poet which would propel her to the top of the 19th century Japan literati art world.
The Kura
Sold, thank you!
Sold, thank you!
The Heron Maiden coquettishly covers her face, the intimation of snow in the vacant background with large occasional flakes falling in the fore on this large work by important 20th century artist Kitano Tsunetomi. Pigment on silk in the original silk border with solid ivory rollers (these will be changed if exporting). It comes in a later collector’s double wood box. The scroll is 46 x 206 cm (18 x 81 inches) and in overall fine, original condition. There are faint scattered foxing marks typical of the era.
In the Japanese folk- tale of The Heron Maiden (Sagi Musume), a young man comes across a wounded heron, and he takes it in and nurses it back to health. When the heron has regained the use of its wings, he releases it, and the heron flies away. Time passes and the young man meets a beautiful young woman with whom he falls in love. They get married and begin living happily together. The young wife weaves a particular kind of silk brocade in which the designs appear in relief. The young man sells the fabric, and the two are able to support themselves in this way. But the young woman places a constraint upon the man: He must never observe her while she is weaving her fabric. Of course the young man cannot resist the temptation to look, and when he does he sees a heron at the loom. Before his eyes the heron is transformed into a beautiful woman. Now that the secret has been exposed, the heron Maiden’s happy life with the young man must come to an end. She bids her husband a sad goodbye, and flies off to her heron companions.
According to the Nakanoshima Museum in Osaka: Kitano Tsunetomi (1880–1947) was born in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1880. His real name was Kitano Tomitaro. He subsequently moved to Osaka, where he studied under Inano Toshitsune, before working for the Osaka Shimpo newspaper illustrating novels serialized in the paper. In 1910, Sudaku-mushi (Chirping Insects) became his first work to be selected to appear in the 4th Bunten National Exhibition, and he gained a reputation as one of Osaka’s foremost bijinga artists. In 1912, he formed the Taisho Bijutsu-kai (Taisho Art Association.) In 1914, he set up the painting school Hakuyosha, and successfully submitted his work Negai-o-ito (Thread of Hope) to the 1st Inten Exhibition. After the 9th Bunten he became active in the Nihon Bijutsuin, an artistic association dedicated to promoting painting and sculpture in Japan, particularly nihonga, and became a judge of the Inten Exhibition. He played a key role in the Osaka art world, participating in the creation of the Osaka Art Exhibition in 1915 and the formation of the Osaka Sawakai in 1918. … He passed away in 1947 at the age of 67..
In the Japanese folk- tale of The Heron Maiden (Sagi Musume), a young man comes across a wounded heron, and he takes it in and nurses it back to health. When the heron has regained the use of its wings, he releases it, and the heron flies away. Time passes and the young man meets a beautiful young woman with whom he falls in love. They get married and begin living happily together. The young wife weaves a particular kind of silk brocade in which the designs appear in relief. The young man sells the fabric, and the two are able to support themselves in this way. But the young woman places a constraint upon the man: He must never observe her while she is weaving her fabric. Of course the young man cannot resist the temptation to look, and when he does he sees a heron at the loom. Before his eyes the heron is transformed into a beautiful woman. Now that the secret has been exposed, the heron Maiden’s happy life with the young man must come to an end. She bids her husband a sad goodbye, and flies off to her heron companions.
According to the Nakanoshima Museum in Osaka: Kitano Tsunetomi (1880–1947) was born in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1880. His real name was Kitano Tomitaro. He subsequently moved to Osaka, where he studied under Inano Toshitsune, before working for the Osaka Shimpo newspaper illustrating novels serialized in the paper. In 1910, Sudaku-mushi (Chirping Insects) became his first work to be selected to appear in the 4th Bunten National Exhibition, and he gained a reputation as one of Osaka’s foremost bijinga artists. In 1912, he formed the Taisho Bijutsu-kai (Taisho Art Association.) In 1914, he set up the painting school Hakuyosha, and successfully submitted his work Negai-o-ito (Thread of Hope) to the 1st Inten Exhibition. After the 9th Bunten he became active in the Nihon Bijutsuin, an artistic association dedicated to promoting painting and sculpture in Japan, particularly nihonga, and became a judge of the Inten Exhibition. He played a key role in the Osaka art world, participating in the creation of the Osaka Art Exhibition in 1915 and the formation of the Osaka Sawakai in 1918. … He passed away in 1947 at the age of 67..
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
Kannon (Guanyin) the bodhisattva of compassion, is depicted by two of the most famous painters of the early Showa period on this pair of presentation cloths by Hashimoto Kansetsu and Tomita Keisen. Keisen’s loosely brushed image of a cherubic Kannon sits in the center of an Enso Zen circle. The calligraphy on the left reads "Entsu", a Buddhist term combining the kanji for circle and authority, loosely meaning knowledge of the circle of Buddhist Doctrine, the cycle of life and of all things eternal. Kansetsu, on the other hand, creates a more severe image of Kannon seated in a lotus petal floating in tumultuous seas. The back of this features a long inscription and is dated Showa 7 (1932). The date coincides with the peak of Tomita Keisens popularity, shortly before his untimely death. It is also the year Kansetsu lost his wife, and this may explain the difference in perception of the Compassionate figure. He subsequently created a temple (Gesshinji) in her honor. Both come wrapped around pillows in a red lacquered wooden box signed by Keisen. Each is 34.5 x 36.5 cm (13-1/2 x 14-1/2 inches) and both are in fine condition.
Hashimoto Kansetsu (1883–1945) was born in Kobe, son of painter Hashimoto Kaikan from whom he gained a love of Chinese culture. He studied at Chikujokai under Takeuchi Seiho (1864-1942), but eventually withdrew due to differences of opinion. He visited Europe in 1921 and after that spent part of almost every year in China. His early years were heavily influenced by ancient Chinese painting, a passion for which he made frequent trips to the continent. Many of his paintings were inspired by Chinese scenery or Chinese classical literature. His former residence in Kyoto is now a museum of his work called the Hakusasonso. He exhibited consistently at the Bunten, and was a member of the Imperial Art Academy. Works by him are held in the Kyoto National Museum, Tokyo National Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, and the Boston Museum of Fine Art, as well as almost every major collection.
Tomita Keisen (1879-1936) was born in Fukuoka on the southern Island of Kyushu into a family of restaurateurs, however fascinated with the arts, he began studying painting at the age of 12 in the Kano school tradition with Kinugasa Morimasa (1852-1912), the official painter for the Kuroda clan. In 1896, he went to Kyōto to continue his education in the Shijo manner with Tsuji Kako, and exhibited with the Japan Painting Association as well as with the Bunten/Teiten National Exhibitions among many others. Keisen also sought inspiration in Buddhist paintings from the Nara and Heian periods which he studied on frequent trips to Nara, the ancient capital. In the 1920s, he would delve into the concepts of the Nanga tradition of literati painting, and his unorthodox use of color and dramatic sense of proportion would propel him to great fame. Religion fascinated Keisen, and much of his work centers around these ideals. His works also show the influence of literati artists Tomioka Tessai and eccentric Buddhist Sengai Gibon. He developed a hybrid of these which has proven extremely popular, even with contemporary audiences and his work is still highly prized. In 1935 he was made a member of the Japan Art Academy. He died the following year at the age of 58. Works by him are held in Tokyo National Museum of Modern art and Kyoto Natioanl Museum of Modern Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Kyoto City (Kyocera) Museum, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Rijksmuseum, Fukuoka Art Museum, Tokyo Fuji Art Museum and many others. For more on this artist see Kyōto no Nihonga 1910–1930. National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, 1986
Hashimoto Kansetsu (1883–1945) was born in Kobe, son of painter Hashimoto Kaikan from whom he gained a love of Chinese culture. He studied at Chikujokai under Takeuchi Seiho (1864-1942), but eventually withdrew due to differences of opinion. He visited Europe in 1921 and after that spent part of almost every year in China. His early years were heavily influenced by ancient Chinese painting, a passion for which he made frequent trips to the continent. Many of his paintings were inspired by Chinese scenery or Chinese classical literature. His former residence in Kyoto is now a museum of his work called the Hakusasonso. He exhibited consistently at the Bunten, and was a member of the Imperial Art Academy. Works by him are held in the Kyoto National Museum, Tokyo National Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, and the Boston Museum of Fine Art, as well as almost every major collection.
Tomita Keisen (1879-1936) was born in Fukuoka on the southern Island of Kyushu into a family of restaurateurs, however fascinated with the arts, he began studying painting at the age of 12 in the Kano school tradition with Kinugasa Morimasa (1852-1912), the official painter for the Kuroda clan. In 1896, he went to Kyōto to continue his education in the Shijo manner with Tsuji Kako, and exhibited with the Japan Painting Association as well as with the Bunten/Teiten National Exhibitions among many others. Keisen also sought inspiration in Buddhist paintings from the Nara and Heian periods which he studied on frequent trips to Nara, the ancient capital. In the 1920s, he would delve into the concepts of the Nanga tradition of literati painting, and his unorthodox use of color and dramatic sense of proportion would propel him to great fame. Religion fascinated Keisen, and much of his work centers around these ideals. His works also show the influence of literati artists Tomioka Tessai and eccentric Buddhist Sengai Gibon. He developed a hybrid of these which has proven extremely popular, even with contemporary audiences and his work is still highly prized. In 1935 he was made a member of the Japan Art Academy. He died the following year at the age of 58. Works by him are held in Tokyo National Museum of Modern art and Kyoto Natioanl Museum of Modern Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Kyoto City (Kyocera) Museum, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Rijksmuseum, Fukuoka Art Museum, Tokyo Fuji Art Museum and many others. For more on this artist see Kyōto no Nihonga 1910–1930. National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, 1986
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
A brush, ink stick letter knife and ink stone are set into a compartment inside this flattened bamboo shape carved from Zitan wood with a poem engraved into the lid signed on the back side Hokkyo Sessai and enclosed in a wooden box. Lifting out the lid by means of the strap, one finds the knife tucked into the handle, the brush, stone, and ink laid out and ready to use. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) long. The ink stone, firmly embedded in the wood, has cracked, otherwise all is in excellent condition but for a slight nick in the edge just above the himotoshi chord loop. According to the International Netsuke Society Journal Volume 36, Number 1: Shima Sessai (1820-1879), was given title Hokkyo… Any carvings signed Hokkyo Sessai date between 1866 and 1879, Sessais last 13 years. A Netsuke by the artist is held in the collection of LACMA and a carving of two wrestlers by this artist sold at Christies London for 117,000 GBP in 2004.
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
A set of sake decanters in the shape of Split Bamboo Tea Whisks by the third generation Kiyomizu Rokubei enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The artists stamp is clearly impressed into the nunome cloth-textured base. They are 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition dating from the mid 19th century.
Kiyomizu Rokubei III (1820-1883) was the second son of Rokubei II (1790-1860) and took over the family kiln at the age of 18 after his father retired in 1838. (His father subsequently went to Echigo to open the Oyama-yaki kiln at the bequest of the local Daimyo). Being at the head of the family business in the tumultuous era at the end of the Edo and beginning of the Meiji, he was a driving force behind the revival of the Kyoto industry after the transfer of the capitol to Tokyo in 1868. He produced a great deal of work in various styles, and was known for his painting skills, having studied under the great 19th century Literati Oda Kaisen. While preserving the techniques of his forebears, Rokubei III was also open to new, foreign influences. He accompanied Miyagwa Kozan to Yokohama to investigate newly imported western advancements in pottery and production (Kozan would subsequently move to Yokohama). He was greatly affected by Modernism, and produced western influenced dishes in addition to the staple Japanese fair. In 1879, he was one of the artists commissioned to make a tea service for use during the visit of former US president Ulysses S. Grant. He frequently served on juries and won medals at domestic exhibitions, including the Kyoto Exhibition (1875), the Domestic Industrial Exhibition (1877), and the Nagoya Exhibition (1878). His works also featured in exhibitions in Paris, Sydney and Amsterdam
Kiyomizu Rokubei III (1820-1883) was the second son of Rokubei II (1790-1860) and took over the family kiln at the age of 18 after his father retired in 1838. (His father subsequently went to Echigo to open the Oyama-yaki kiln at the bequest of the local Daimyo). Being at the head of the family business in the tumultuous era at the end of the Edo and beginning of the Meiji, he was a driving force behind the revival of the Kyoto industry after the transfer of the capitol to Tokyo in 1868. He produced a great deal of work in various styles, and was known for his painting skills, having studied under the great 19th century Literati Oda Kaisen. While preserving the techniques of his forebears, Rokubei III was also open to new, foreign influences. He accompanied Miyagwa Kozan to Yokohama to investigate newly imported western advancements in pottery and production (Kozan would subsequently move to Yokohama). He was greatly affected by Modernism, and produced western influenced dishes in addition to the staple Japanese fair. In 1879, he was one of the artists commissioned to make a tea service for use during the visit of former US president Ulysses S. Grant. He frequently served on juries and won medals at domestic exhibitions, including the Kyoto Exhibition (1875), the Domestic Industrial Exhibition (1877), and the Nagoya Exhibition (1878). His works also featured in exhibitions in Paris, Sydney and Amsterdam
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
Bonji Buddhist characters in five rings of silver, gold and brass damascene decorate this Incense burner by Izumi Ryoichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kin-do Gorin-mon Koro. We see the number five in Buddhism and Bushido, With the elements Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air, as well the famous treatise on fighting by Miyamoto Musashi is called the Book of Five Rings, and the stone stupa seen all over Japan called the Gorinto (Five part tower). This is 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) diameter, roughly the same height and in excellent condition, signed Ryuichi on the base.
Just to make everything really confusing, the metal artist Izumi Ryuichi goes by a plethora of names, depending upon the genre he is creating for, Izumi Ryoichi, Ryusen, Koshiro. He was born in Iwate in 1946, apprenticing under metal craftsman Fujiwara Tomohiko at the age of 20. 10 years later he would study metal carving techniques under Katsura Moriyuki, and then under Living National Treasures Sekiya Shiro and Kashima Ikkoku at the age of 36, absorbing techniques and styles all along the way. Thanks to his dedication to the craft he was chosen to take part in the restoration and reproduction of the National Treasure 8 sided Buddhist stand of Chusonji Temple in 1990, the following year the production of a mirror for Ise Shrine, the most holy site in Japan. Throughout the Heisei era he has been on the restoration team of any number of important works of art in the Imperial Household Collection, various museums in Japan as well as the pair of Nanban Screens in the collection for the Cleveland Art Museum, His work has been awarded at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten Traditional Crafts Exhibition and Nihon Kinko Ten National Metal Art Exhibition as well as the Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten New Traditional Crafts Exhibition among others
Just to make everything really confusing, the metal artist Izumi Ryuichi goes by a plethora of names, depending upon the genre he is creating for, Izumi Ryoichi, Ryusen, Koshiro. He was born in Iwate in 1946, apprenticing under metal craftsman Fujiwara Tomohiko at the age of 20. 10 years later he would study metal carving techniques under Katsura Moriyuki, and then under Living National Treasures Sekiya Shiro and Kashima Ikkoku at the age of 36, absorbing techniques and styles all along the way. Thanks to his dedication to the craft he was chosen to take part in the restoration and reproduction of the National Treasure 8 sided Buddhist stand of Chusonji Temple in 1990, the following year the production of a mirror for Ise Shrine, the most holy site in Japan. Throughout the Heisei era he has been on the restoration team of any number of important works of art in the Imperial Household Collection, various museums in Japan as well as the pair of Nanban Screens in the collection for the Cleveland Art Museum, His work has been awarded at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten Traditional Crafts Exhibition and Nihon Kinko Ten National Metal Art Exhibition as well as the Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten New Traditional Crafts Exhibition among others
The Kura
Sold, thank you!
Sold, thank you!
A gorgeous Jubako stacking box of lacquered wood decorated with burgeoning grape vines in powdered gold maki-e dating from the 19th century enclosed in the original wooden storage box. Inside oxidized vermilion grants a sense of celebration, while the outside covered in polished black is the perfect back drop to the shimmering gold decoration. Assembled it is 24 x 26 x 31 cm (9-1/2 x 10-1/4 x 12 inches). Overall it is in very good condition, with some minor dings in the edges typical of use. Jubako were used to contain various types of foods during festive occasions, and can still be seen in use at New Years for O-sechi in modern Japan.
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
A large and important work by Miyanaga Kozan of overall raw clay in a Nanban style with drips of color featuring a tiny colorful crab crawling out of a hollow in the base. It is 30.5 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition, in an age darkened wooden collectors box titled Makuzu Yaki Kabin, Miyagwa Kozan Sei followed by a very large stamp. This is a rarity!
The name Kozan was granted by Prince Yasui-no-Miya in 1851 in honor of the tea ware produced during the later Edo for the imperial Court by the tenth-generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. The Kozan (Makuzu) kiln as we know it today was established in Yokohama in 1871 by the 11th generation head of the family where he reinvented the family business. He immediately set out on a journey which would propel the Kozan name to International Celebrity status, and send his wares throughout the globe. Pieces produced there were marked Kozan, or Makuzu, the official kiln name, or both. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan (1859-1940) through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one-year mourning for his father’s passing. Under Hanzan the kiln was commissioned for works to be presented to the Prince of Wales, the 25th wedding anniversary gift for the Taisho emperor and the Showa Emperors coronation gift. The unlucky third generation inherited the kiln at the height of the war years, it was completely destroyed in the bombing of Yokohama in 1945. For more on this illustrious family see Bridging East and West, Japanese Ceramics from the Kozan Studio by Kathleen Emerson-Dell.
The name Kozan was granted by Prince Yasui-no-Miya in 1851 in honor of the tea ware produced during the later Edo for the imperial Court by the tenth-generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. The Kozan (Makuzu) kiln as we know it today was established in Yokohama in 1871 by the 11th generation head of the family where he reinvented the family business. He immediately set out on a journey which would propel the Kozan name to International Celebrity status, and send his wares throughout the globe. Pieces produced there were marked Kozan, or Makuzu, the official kiln name, or both. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan (1859-1940) through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one-year mourning for his father’s passing. Under Hanzan the kiln was commissioned for works to be presented to the Prince of Wales, the 25th wedding anniversary gift for the Taisho emperor and the Showa Emperors coronation gift. The unlucky third generation inherited the kiln at the height of the war years, it was completely destroyed in the bombing of Yokohama in 1945. For more on this illustrious family see Bridging East and West, Japanese Ceramics from the Kozan Studio by Kathleen Emerson-Dell.
The Kura
Sold, thank you!
Sold, thank you!
A tripod koro with custom silver lid and rosewood stand by Miura Chikusen II enclosed in a wooden box dated early Autumn 1920 signed by Ume, the mother of the second generation head of the family who died young that year. The white porcelain is roughly 15 cm (6 inches) tall on the stand, 10 cm (4 inches) diameter. This type of Sinophile work was very popular throughout the Meiji and Taisho periods, and Sencha steeped tea had a profound impact on Japanese culture at the time. For more on that see the book ‘Tea of the Sages: The Art of Sencha’ by Patricia Graham (1998).
Miura Chikusen I (1854-1915) made a name for himself as a strict adherent to and supplier of Sencha tea wares in Kyoto; one of the most important artists in the country for that genre. He studied under Takahashi Dohachi from the age of 13, before establishing his own studio in 1883. He was a feature in the literati community of Kyoto and was well known also as a painter, poet and calligraphist. His porcelains were considered of the highest grade throughout the Meiji era, and are still highly collectable today. The Eldest son took over after his father assuming the family name as Chikusen II, but died young in 1920 leaving a young child, whereupon his younger brother took over as Chikusen, III. However when Chikusen IIs eldest son was old enough, III relinquished the helm, appointing his nephew Chikusen IV and assuming the name Chikuken (Chikken). The kiln continues, currently under the management of the fifth generation.
Miura Chikusen I (1854-1915) made a name for himself as a strict adherent to and supplier of Sencha tea wares in Kyoto; one of the most important artists in the country for that genre. He studied under Takahashi Dohachi from the age of 13, before establishing his own studio in 1883. He was a feature in the literati community of Kyoto and was well known also as a painter, poet and calligraphist. His porcelains were considered of the highest grade throughout the Meiji era, and are still highly collectable today. The Eldest son took over after his father assuming the family name as Chikusen II, but died young in 1920 leaving a young child, whereupon his younger brother took over as Chikusen, III. However when Chikusen IIs eldest son was old enough, III relinquished the helm, appointing his nephew Chikusen IV and assuming the name Chikuken (Chikken). The kiln continues, currently under the management of the fifth generation.
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
A pair of red and silver iron lotus flowers with long handles serving as Buddhist candle-stands, the light rising from within the sacred flower. Overall raw iron, the coloration of the flower petals is from silver and red lacquer. Each is 26.5 cm (10-1/2 inches) long and in excellent condition.
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
A superb Landscape by Yano Tetsuzan dated the second month of 1924 enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The arched rooves of Chinese style pavilions rise in the placed waters under th shelter of precipitous verdant cliffs, trees in fall colors in the foreground setting the stage. Above a long verse in Kanshi signed Tetsuzan. Ink and pigment on silk in a dark blue-green satin border with ivory rollers (the rollers will be changed for export). The scroll is 54 x 193 cm (21-1/2 76 inches) and in overall excellent condition.
Yano Tetsuzan (1894-1975) was an important Nanga artist born in Ehime, a nephew (although nearly the same age) of also important artist Yano Kyoson. He studied under Komura Suiun from 1912 in Tokyo before moving to Osaka in 1918 where he studied under Tomioka Tessai while enrolled at the Osaka Art School. In 1920 he was first accepted into the Teiten national exhibition where he would later be often awarded. In 1921 he helped in the foundation of the Nihon Nanga-in art society. In many ways throughout the pre-war years he worked to modernize the Nanga genre, culminating in 1939 when, along with the aforementioned Kyoson, he would found the Kankonsha Salon to showcase modern Nanga. He would serve as a juror for the Shin-bunten and Nitten (where he had accumulated an astonishing 10 awards). He was also awarded at the Nangain-ten (first prize n 1921). He received the Osaka Prefectural Geijutsu-sho Artisan Award in 1953, as well as the Shijuhosho (Order of Cultural Merit with Purple Ribbon) in 1971. In his final years he helped to establish the Nihon Suiboku-ga Kyokai (Japanese Ink Painters Society). His 1942 work “Waves” is held in the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo.
Yano Tetsuzan (1894-1975) was an important Nanga artist born in Ehime, a nephew (although nearly the same age) of also important artist Yano Kyoson. He studied under Komura Suiun from 1912 in Tokyo before moving to Osaka in 1918 where he studied under Tomioka Tessai while enrolled at the Osaka Art School. In 1920 he was first accepted into the Teiten national exhibition where he would later be often awarded. In 1921 he helped in the foundation of the Nihon Nanga-in art society. In many ways throughout the pre-war years he worked to modernize the Nanga genre, culminating in 1939 when, along with the aforementioned Kyoson, he would found the Kankonsha Salon to showcase modern Nanga. He would serve as a juror for the Shin-bunten and Nitten (where he had accumulated an astonishing 10 awards). He was also awarded at the Nangain-ten (first prize n 1921). He received the Osaka Prefectural Geijutsu-sho Artisan Award in 1953, as well as the Shijuhosho (Order of Cultural Merit with Purple Ribbon) in 1971. In his final years he helped to establish the Nihon Suiboku-ga Kyokai (Japanese Ink Painters Society). His 1942 work “Waves” is held in the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo.
The Kura
Sold, thank you!
Sold, thank you!
Birds take shelter for the coming of night as the mist rolls in on the bare branches of a stand of trees huddled along a stream, all dyed with the colors of late autumn in this exceptional work by Hashimoto Kansetsu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Seen in silhouette against the moon, are these crows, the stalwart creatures which hunker down through winter, or are they Sagi (herons) harbingers of the cold to come? This painting is a superb example of his mature style. It is mounted in the finest brocades of the time, and features large ivory rollers (which would need to be changed if exporting). It comes enclosed in a double wood box, the inner Kiri, complete with a special silk and paper cover to protect the top, the outer covered in red lacquer. The scroll is 73 .5 x 163 cm (29 x 64 inches) and is in fine condition.
Hashimoto Kansetsu (1883–1945) was born in Kobe, son of painter Hashimoto Kaikan from whom he gained a love of Chinese culture. He studied at Chikujokai under Takeuchi Seiho (1864-1942), but eventually withdrew due to differences of opinion. He visited Europe in 1921 and after that spent part of almost every year in China. Many of his paintings were inspired by Chinese scenery or Chinese classical literature. His former residence in Kyoto is now a museum of his work called the Hakusasonso
The Kura
Sold, thank you!
Sold, thank you!
Tempestuous waves in fine gold lines splash between lightning shapes decorated with reed curtains on the sides of this singular lacquered wooden koro with woven silver lid dating from the Momoyama to opening of the Edo period, Later 16th to early 17th century. It is 8.5 cm (3-1/4 inches) high, 7.5 cm (3 inches) diameter. The worn base has been re-lacquered to protect the wood core from splitting or cracking otherwise is entirely original to the period.
The Kura
Sold, thank you!
Sold, thank you!
A set of five exquisite Sencha Tea Cups of crackle-glazed pottery covered outside with black lacquer decorated with golden plum blossoms. Each bears an impressed seal in the base reading Toyosuke from the Nagoya studio of Toyoraku (also read Horaku) dating from the later 19th century. Inside each cup is a stylized single plum blossom. This set is exceptional! It is enclosed in a custom made wooden box. Each is 6.2 cm (2-1/2 inches) diameter, 4.8 cm (2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
The Toyoraku tradition began in the mid 1700s, however it was the fourth generation head of the household (Toyosuke IV 1813~1858) who moved the kiln to Kamimaezu in Nagoya and began applying lacquer and Maki-e to the works. He was succeeded by his son, Toyosuke V (d. 1885) who passed the kiln to his own son Toyosuke VI, (d. 1917), who was highly lauded in his lifetime and made pottery on order of the Meiji emperor, his pieces being selected for international exhibition. However from the later Meiji he concentrated on Raku-ware, and the lacquer tradition mostly disappeared from the family ouvre.
The Toyoraku tradition began in the mid 1700s, however it was the fourth generation head of the household (Toyosuke IV 1813~1858) who moved the kiln to Kamimaezu in Nagoya and began applying lacquer and Maki-e to the works. He was succeeded by his son, Toyosuke V (d. 1885) who passed the kiln to his own son Toyosuke VI, (d. 1917), who was highly lauded in his lifetime and made pottery on order of the Meiji emperor, his pieces being selected for international exhibition. However from the later Meiji he concentrated on Raku-ware, and the lacquer tradition mostly disappeared from the family ouvre.
The Kura
sold, with thanks!
sold, with thanks!
Intricate, subtle, delicate, elegant; all words which could be applied to this set of ten dishes decorated with flowers in raised reliefby Takahashi Seizan enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gyokude Kusabana Kameko-gata Sara (Tortoise Shell Shaped Dishes decorated with Flowers and Grass in Pearl-slip) Pale white slip has been applied in thick, sculpted patterns to a cream surface, sweeping sides peaked with gold rims. Each plate is 22 cm (9 inches) wide, 5 cm (2 inches) tall. There are a few color infusions into the glaze, but no chips cracks or repairs. These date to the Taisho period, a time of great innovation. They are reminiscent of the works of other Kyoto artists at the time, in particular Seifu Yohei and his Taihakuji, and Kiyomizu Rokube and his Taireiji.
Due to size and weight, shipping fees will be construed separately.
Takahashi Seizan (b. 1871) was a potter active from the Meiji to early Showa era, associated with Kiyomizu Rokubei and Miyanaga Tozan and is known to have corroborated with the famed painter Hashimoto Kansetsu on ceramic works. He exhibited frequently with the Nomuten (the largest crafts exhibition before the Teiten opened a crafts division in 1927).
Due to size and weight, shipping fees will be construed separately.
Takahashi Seizan (b. 1871) was a potter active from the Meiji to early Showa era, associated with Kiyomizu Rokubei and Miyanaga Tozan and is known to have corroborated with the famed painter Hashimoto Kansetsu on ceramic works. He exhibited frequently with the Nomuten (the largest crafts exhibition before the Teiten opened a crafts division in 1927).