Page 9 - The Meiji Aesthetic Christie's Hong Kong.pdf

【自在】 Jizai okimono: articulated metal sculpture

Ingenious movable sculptures of animals are the invention of participated, along with many other metal artists, in world’s
Japanese metalsmiths trained in the manufacture of samurai fairs, notably at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago
armor. The Myochin family of armorers is credited with in 1893. His eagle, offered at lot 3825, is regarded as the most
the frst sculptures of this type in the eighteenth century. In important work among his many masterpieces. Jizai sculptures
relative peacetime, the demand for arms and armor, except had been highly sought-after by Western connoisseurs and
for display purposes, had slowed. To meet the changes institutions since the late 19th century. Apart from the notable
in demand, the Myochin expanded their repertoire into collection in the Tokyo National Museum, other world’s best
metalwork of a decorative and symbolic nature. Some see assemblages are in the British Museum, the Boston Museum of
these articulated models as the culmination of the armorer’s Fine Arts and the Higgins Armory Museum.
skill and imagination. Known as jizai okimono, literally “free
display objects”, these intricate sculptures are a unique genre It is known that Okakura Tenshin was extremely impressed
of Japanese sculptural art. when he frst saw the jizai eagle made by Myochin Muneharu
during his research trip to Europe with Ernest Francisco
The restoration of the Japanese emperor in 1868 and the Fenollosa. He quickly recognized the importance of Japanese
dismantling of the samurai domains further impacted the metalwork and decided to establish the metalwork department
tradition of metalwork in place by the ffteenth century. Rapid in the Tokyo School of Fine Arts.
industrialization and Japan’s decision to compete economically
on a world scale encouraged new artists and ateliers who A century or more has passed since these magnifcent mobile
had not trained in the Myochin school. Muneyoshi (Tanaka sculptures were made, yet they are as fresh and as captivating as
Tadayoshi; ?-1958) created a remarkable body of work, the moment a prodigiously skilled and gifted imagination chose
including the dragon offered here as lot 3829, believed to to make them.
be the largest articulated dragon. Itao Shinjiro (1842-1911)

自在雕塑 - 序言

自在雕塑，是逼真兼可動的金屬動物模像，造型栩栩如 日本近代美學思想家岡倉天心在一次美國學者費諾羅沙
生，工藝極為考究，乃日本金銀藝術史上之一大創舉。 隨行之歐洲考察中，被明珍宗長所製之自在鷹感動不
自在雕塑誕生自十八世紀，由著名甲冑世家明珍派開 已，澄思寂慮，歸國後即在東京藝術大學開設金工系，
創。隨著戰事平息，國泰民安，兵器及盔甲的需求亦大 確立日本金屬雕塑藝術的正統地位。
幅下降。明珍派遂另謀出路，將百年精湛金工技藝糅合
天馬行空的創意，在自然世界中求索，開墾嶄新的立體 百多載韶華如駛，不朽藝術經典猶在。自在雕塑窮工極
美學之路。自在雕塑又稱自在置物，作品身體各處可自 巧，前衛革新，是一代藝術巨匠的心血結晶，也是一個
由伸縮、屈曲、開合，使人嘖嘖稱奇，兼為日本雕塑史 輝世紀的難得見證，如今賞鑑，依然叫絶，不愧為明
譜下傳奇一頁。 治藝術的非凡瑰寶。

1868年，明治維新確立天皇新制，推翻幕府政權，令十
五世紀以降的武士兵器及盔甲工藝傳統大受影響。工業
革命迅速發展，驅使日本擠身國際舞台，藝術珍品供不
應求，大量明珍派系以外的藝術家及工匠瞬間冒起，
造就人才輩出的紛繁局面。自在雕塑名家宗義，本名
田中唯吉（ 生年不詳，卒於1958年），技藝超卓，佳
作甚豐，包括是次呈獻之自在巨龍（拍品編號3829），
屬傳世最大型的自在龍雕塑，備受矚目。板尾新次郎
（1842-1911年）為活躍於國際藝壇的金工大師，曾參
展1893年芝加哥萬國博覽會，作品地位舉足輕重，包括
是本鐵自在鷹（拍品編號3825）。自在雕塑自十九世紀
末起早得西方鑑藏家及博物館青睞。除東京國立博物館
外，大英博物館、波士頓美術館及美國希金斯兵器博物
館皆藏有為數頗豐的自在雕塑名作。