Page 32 - Bonhams Royal Collection Fine Japanese Art London Nov. 2019

9
SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891)
ALBUM OF MINIATURE URUSHI-E (LACQUER PAINTINGS)
漆絵画帳
Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1885–1886

An album of eleven small urushi-e paintings with a calligraphic title Overall: 1.7cm × 3.7cm × 6.9cm (⅝in × 1½in × 2¾in)
page, bound in orihon (concertina) style, the blank pages covered in Each painting: 6.4cm × 5.2cm (2½in × 2in)
gold-painted paper, the cover of silk brocade woven with geometric
and floral designs and bearing a blank gold-paper title slip, the title With fitted wood tomobako inscribed outside Tairyūkyo Zeshin hitsu
page and paintings as follows: urushi-e chō 對柳居是真筆 漆画帖 (Album of lacquer paintings
brushed by Tairyūkyo Zeshin); signed inside Chikushin shiki 竹真識
[9.1] Title page inscribed with a single black urushi-e character Ga 雅 (Recorded by Chikushin), with an unidentified seal; also with silk
(Elegance) and signed Yowai hachijū Tairyūkyo Zeshin 齢八十 對柳居 brocade chitsu (outer wrapper) (3)
是真 (Tairyūkyo Zeshin, in his eightieth year)
£15,000 - 20,000
[9.2] The trunk and branch of an ancient pine tree by a river, with JPY1,900,000 - 2,600,000
bamboo grass in the foreground; signed Zeshin 是真 and sealed US$18,000 - 24,000
Shin 真

[9.3] A turtle climbing into a sakazuki (sake cup) inscribed Kotobuki For a similar single-character inscription by Zeshin, in an album dating
from 1882–1883, compare Nezu Bijutsukan (Nezu Museum) 2012,
(Long life); signed Zeshin 是真 and sealed Shin 真
cat. no. 111.8 (also Izzard 2007, cat. no. 44.1).
[9.4] A branch of plum and a bowl with bamboo chopsticks and tororo
(grated yam), perhaps with fish and seaweed, served as a New-Year Shōji Chikushin (1854–1936), whose gō or art name was Kakan’an,
dish; signed Zeshin 是真 and sealed Shin 真 was a leading pupil of Zeshin who often signed boxes authenticating
his work.

[9.5] Butterflies and spring plants—warabi (fern), tanpopo (dandelion),
bamboo, and bamboo grass—by a stream; signed Zeshin 是真 and
sealed Shin 真

[9.6] Pine trees with a swallow flying overhead; signed Gyōnen
nanajūkyū-ō Zeshin 行年七十九翁是真 (Zeshin, aged 79) and sealed
Shin 真
[9.7] Five clam shells; signed and sealed Zeshin 是真

[9.8] Pumpkin, daikon, and two aubergines; signed Zeshin 是真 and
sealed Ze 是

[9.9] A mountainous pine-clad shore with fishing boats, gulls, and a
shiofuki (whale’s spout) in the foreground; signed Zeshin 是真 and
sealed Ze 是

[9.10] A snake and reeds; signed Zeshin 是真 and sealed Shin 真

[9.11] A sailing boat by a rock with the branch of a tree; signed Zeshin
是真 and sealed Ze 是

[9.12] A gardener’s bamboo basket with fruits of hōzuki (Chinese
lantern plant, Physalis alkekengi); signed Zeshin 是真 with an
unidentified seal

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