Page 139 - Fine Japanese Art October 28, 2020 Galerie Zacke

137 | KANO TESSAI: Condition: Superb condition with only minor wear. The apparent
A CARVED LACQUER TRAY, flaking of the mask is intentional and a trademark of this artist!
DATED 1919 Provenance: Collection of Drs. Edmund and Julie Lewis.

By Kano Tessai (1845-1925), signed Tessai followed by the artist’s Mibu-dera is a Buddhist
idiosyncratic kao temple in Nakagyo-ku,
Japan, Nara, dated 1919 Kyoto. In the Middle
Ages, the temple revived
a performance created
The flat well of the tray encircled by short vertical walls and by the Yuzu Nembutsu
raised on a short foot, incised in relief to depict a humorous monk Engaku known
mask of a Buddhist figure used in Kyogen performances at as the Dai Nembutsu
the Mibudera temple in Kyoto, with an inscription Mibudera Kyogen. It is also known
Dai Nenbutsu shoyo men (Mask used for the Great Nenbutsu for having been affiliated
ceremony at Mibudera) and dated Tsuchinoto-hitsuji toshi aki with the Shinsengumi.
(autumn 1919).
Estimate EUR 1,500
DIAMETER 21.3 cm Starting price EUR 750

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