Page 60 - Bonhams Royal Collection Fine Japanese Art London Nov. 2019

INRŌ (LOTS 22–26)
22
SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891)
INRŌ (MEDICINE CASE) WITH DESIGN OF SHŌKI THE DEMON-
QUELLER AND A DEMON, AND NETSUKE (TOGGLE) WITH
SAKE-BOTTLE DESIGN
鍾馗鬼遣図蒔絵鞘印籠 酒瓢図蒔絵根付
Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1886

In sheath-inrō form, the case of wood covered in silver fundame Provenance:
textured in ishime-nuri to imitate the walls of a rustic dwelling, each (Inrō:)
side pierced with a window, the window bars rendered on one side in Vever Collection
shell and on the other in tetsusabi-nuri, one side of the sheath hinged Vignier Collection
to release the container inside, the interior of the sheath finished in gold Densmore Collection
fundame lacquer, the container probably of paper, with overhanging Bess Collection
lid and divided interior, covered in gold kinji and ishime-nuri; on the
front, Shōki the Demon-queller in coloured togidashi maki-e seen (Netsuke:)
from the waist up, dressed in the robes and cap of a Chinese scholar- Hayashi Collection, sold in 1902
official, with his sword on his back and wearing a baleful expression, Vever Collection
the reverse also in togidashi maki-e with an oni (demon) in silhouette
hiding behind a shōji (paper screen), the netsuke in box form, of wood (Inrō and netsuke:)
lacquered in shibuichi-nuri and with a design of a large and a small Charles Greenfield Collection, sold at Eskenazi Ltd., London, 1990
decorated gourd in takamaki-e; iron and gold ojime in the form of a Misumi Hisashi Collection
mallet; the inrō signed in scratched characters on the base near one 三隅悠 旧蔵
of the cord-runners Zeshin 是真, the netsuke signed in scratched Sold in these Rooms, 5 November 2014, lot 6
characters on the base Zeshin 是真
Exhibited:
Inrō: 8.2cm × 6cm × 1.6cm (3¼in × 2⅜in × ⅝in) Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2017–2018
Netsuke: 3.2cm × 2.7cm × 1.4cm (1¼in × 1in × ½in)
Exhibited and Published:
With fitted wood storage box (2) Stern 1972, cat. no. 164 (inrō)
Pekarik 1980, cat. no. 79
Eskenazi 1990, cat. no. 79
Nezu Bijutsukan (Nezu Museum) 2012, cat. no. 87
£60,000 - 80,000
JPY7,700,000 - 10,000,000
US$73,000 - 97,000

The Chinese demon-queller Shōki in pursuit of a fleeing oni (demon)
was one of Zeshin’s favourite subjects in both lacquer and painting,
and numerous examples are extant (for a painted version, see lot 11
in the present catalogue). The Nezu Museum in Tokyo owns an inrō
(Nezu Bijutsukan 2012, cat. no. 86) which is very similar to the present
lot with the difference that the inner container is in the more usual
form of a set of interlocking compartments. With its intricate structure,
complex range of techniques, lively characterization, and meticulous
finish, this lot displays many of the virtues of Zeshin’s finest inrō.

(interior back) (interior front)

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