Page 69 - 2019 September 11th Bonhams Lewis Collection Japanese and Korean Art NYC

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STYLE OF OGAWA HARITSU (1663-1747)
An inlaid-lacquer box and cover
Edo period (1615-1868), 19th century
The rectangular wood box with edge cut in ittobori style and
decorated in red and brown takamaki-e and creamic inlays, on
the cover with Daruma (Bodhidharma) looking out through a hole
in the wall of a temple, an incense burner on a rootwood table in
the background, all against a gold-lacquer ground, the interior of
the box with a continuous design of a mokugyo (Buddhist wooden
bell) and striker resting on a cushion by a nyoi scepter and a rat by
a hossu (ritual fly whisk) while another rat watches from above in a
hole in the wall, in iro-e takamaki-e, togidashi maki-e, ceramic inlays,
and inlaid silver and gold hirame on a roiro-nuri ground, inscribed on
the underside of the cover Gyonen hachiju o Muchuan tsukuru (Made
by Muchuan at the age of 81) and with ceramic seal Kan, pewter
rims and fundameedges
11 1/16 x 7 3/4 x 2in (28 x 19.5 x 5cm)
$8,000 - 12,000

Provenance
Michael Tomkinson collection

Published
E. Gilbertson, et al., <i>A Japanese Collection Made by Michael
Tomkinson</i>, London, 1898, <i>Lacquer</i>, no. 643 (vol. 2, p. 44)
Edmund J. Lewis and Joe Earle, <i>Shadows and Reflections:
Japanese Lacquer Art from the Collection of Edmund J. Lewis at the
Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu Academy of Arts</i>, 1996, cat.
no. 27, pg. 74
Although it bears the age-dated signature and seal of Ogawa Haritsu
(Ritsuo), the style and technique of this well-known box—formerly
in the vast collection of the Victorian British connoisseur Michael
Tomkinson—is very likely a product of the revival of the Haritsu/Ritsuo
style that took place in the middle years of the nineteenth century.
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF DRS. EDMUND AND JULIE LEWIS | 67