Page 38 - 2019 September 11th Bonhams Lewis Collection Japanese and Korean Art NYC

543
KANO TESSAI (1845-1925)
A carved lacquer tray, dated 1919
The flat well of the tray encircled by short
vertical walls and raised on a short foot,
incised in relief to depict a humorous
mask of a Buddhist figure used in Kyogen
performances at the Mibudera temple in
Kyoto, with an inscription Mibudera Dai
Nenbutsu shoyo men (Mask used for the
Great Nenbutsu ceremony at Mibudera) and
dated Tsuchinoto-hitsuji toshi aki (autumn
1919), signed Tessai followed by the artist’s
ideosyncratic kao
With a wood tomobako storage box with
signature, red seal, kao and date Mizunoe-
inu (1922)
8 3/8in (21.3cm) diameter

$1,500 - 2,000

543

544
KANO TESSAI (1845-1925)
A carved wood statue of a Rakan (Arhat)
Taisho era (1912-1926), dated 1920
The dark-hued wood intricately carved
to realistically depict a wizened robed
figure stooping to clutch a lengthy staff,
the underside of his foot incised Tessai to
(Carved by Tessai); with wood tomobako
storage box identifying the figure as Binzuru
(in Sanskrit, Pindola Bharadvaja), among the
earliest and most senior of the Buddha’s 16
rakan (immediate disciples), with additional
lengthy inscription including signature, red
seal, kao and a date Kanoe-saru (1920)
17in (43.2cm) high

$2,500 - 3,500

544

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