Page 108 - Bonhams May 2017 London Fine Japanese Art

179* (front cover of album)

SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891)
Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1888
A miniature album of six seasonal urushi-e (lacquer paintings), with
an embroidered silk cover, each page of board covered in gold paper,
bound in orihon (concertina) format closed on one side, the paintings
arranged one per opening on the left-hand side and comprising:

1) A pine-tree bonsai in a green ceramic container on a red-lacquer
table: New Year;

2) A kine (pestle) resting against an usu (mortar) on a straw mat
by a branch of prunus, a sparrow perched on the end of the pestle:
early spring;

3) Two stems of warabi fern next to sugina (horsetail, Equisetum
arvense), both plants in varying stages of development, the
combination (a favourite with Zeshin) pinpointing the season
as late spring;

4) Irises and roses growing by a rock: summer;

5) A stem of lily with one flower fully open and the other still in bud:
summer;

6) Naruko (bird-scarers) arranged on cords attached to the top of the
bamboo pole over a rice paddy with a Shinto offering: autumn.

Each with a seal Shin and signed Zeshin except for the stem of lily
which is signed Hachijuni Zeshin (Zeshin, 82); the cover inscribed in ink
on a gold label Urushi-e Zeshin (Lacquer painting, Zeshin), with a wood
storage box inscribed outside Urushi-e sansui-cho Tairyukyo Zeshin
hitsu (Album of lacquer-painted landscapes, brushed by Tairyukyo
Zeshin] and inscribed inside Monsei Chikushin shi (Recorded by his
pupil Chikushin), with a red seal; an outer silk chitsu wrapper and
outer cardboard slipcase.
Overall 1.2cm x 8.3cm x 6.9cm (½in x 3¼in x 2¾in),
each image 5.3cm x 6.6cm (2 1/8in x 2 5/8in). (4).

£12,000 - 15,000
JPY1,700,000 - 2,100,000
US$15,000 - 19,000

(box inscriptions)

106 | BONHAMS For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.