Page 10 - Bonhams Japanese art nov 7 2024

Introduction

This November during ‘Asian Art in London’, Bonhams’ Japanese Adaptation in the face of changing socio-political contexts is
department is delighted to offer a spectacular selection of pieces evident too in the work of master metalworkers who, faced
ranging from Nabeshima to shin-hanga; jizai okimono to katana. with a diminished demand for tools of war during peacetime,
As the seasons change and London becomes ever colder, we diversified and turned their skills instead to the production of
are reminded to appreciate mono no aware, or the beauty of that okimono. These intricate decorative items, ranging in size from
which is fleeting: delicate plum clinging to a snow-laden bough, miniature (lot 251) to mighty (lot 272), required absolute mastery
perhaps, or the sudden sight of plovers skimming over foamy of the metalworking techniques perfected by armourers of the
waves. The military age of the samurai, too, proved impermanent, Sengoku period. Yet these spectacular ornaments also capture
and Japan’s warrior class was forced to reconfigure itself in a sense of whimsy in their design: a freshwater prawn rendered
a shifting political landscape. Varied in theme, technique and in iron and attributed to the distinguished Myochin lineage,
medium though they may be, the works offered across this curated for example, wiggles its antennae playfully when set upon a table
sale encapsulate, through masterful technique and sophistication (lot 250). These decorative pieces were initially popular among
of design, the ephemeral spectacle of a bygone age; a floating samurai families, and so frequently draw upon imagery strongly
world frozen in time to be revisited and enjoyed again and again. associated with the warrior class such as the hawk (lot 252)
and, the most revered of all beasts, the dragon
Our sale begins with a collection of netsuke and inro, the toggles (lots 173, 192, 243 and 261).
and interlocking boxes frequently worn by members of a merchant
class which enjoyed newfound prosperity throughout the so-called That is not to say, however, that the production of armour of great
pax Tokugawa. The makers of these small containers, which quality ceased. This sale features a diverse group of eighteenth
were to be worn suspended from the kimono belt (obi), employed and nineteenth century armour in our sale, including an excellent
sumptuous materials and laborious decorative techniques designed example of tosei gusoku (‘modern armour’) crafted for the powerful
to dazzle with their splendour, including kirikane (lots 31, 39, 55, 67), Matsudaira daimyo family of Kameyama in Tanba by none other
inlaid metalwork (lots 57 and 61), and inlaid shell (lots 63 and 64). than Myochin Munesada of that same strong line of metalworkers
Themes, too, were of vital importance for metropolitan patrons keen (lot 96). Tsuba and other sword fittings, too, are well-represented
to demonstrate their cultural sophistication through overt reference in the lots offered, with a set by Yanagawa Naotoki (lot 163)
to classical motifs or literary works. Take, for example, and another by Goto Renjo Mitsumoto (lot 153) demonstrating
lot 34, which depicts in delicate gold and coloured togidashi maki-e exquisite craftsmanship and boasting the official recognition of the
a willow tree and tea pickers beside a river over which spans a Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (as ‘Tokubetsu Hozon Tohogu’;
bridge: to the fashionable 19th century owner of this inro it would Sword Mounting Especially Worthy of Preservation, and ‘Juho
have been immediately recognisable as Uji; a meisho (famous place) Tosou’; Important Sword Fitting, respectively).
laden with poetic allusion. The site was referenced in a 10th century For samurai families, armour was not merely functional apparatus,
poem included in the Kokinshu, in which Hashihime (‘The Maiden but an embodiment of hereditary power and the preservation of
of the Bridge’) is abandoned by her lover. Through subsequent ancient codes of honour, evinced through aesthetic refinement
and repeated evocation in art and literature, Uji and its emblems, and technical precision.
including the bridge and willow, came to represent an elevated
sentiment of melancholy associated with the great tradition We are very pleased that included in this sale are examples of
of aristocratic Heian poets. perhaps the most prestigious of porcelain crafted for domestic
consumption, Nabeshima (lots 195 – 197). Produced exclusively
The vast range of the techniques showcased by lacquer artists for use by the Nabeshima clan of Saga and for presenting as
working in the Edo period were applied to other, larger, wares, tribute to the ruling Shogunate, these wares are prized for their
including kashibako (confectionery box, lot 74), hira-natsume material quality and harmony of design, utilising colour and striking
(squat tea-caddies, lots 77 & 78) and suzuribako (boxes for patterns to create unique and meticulously decorated works—often
writing utensils; lots 88 – 91). While the legacy of traditional imbued with self-restraint. In contrast to Nabeshima porcelain,
lacquer production continued into the Meiji era, multi-talented made in small quantities for limited, domestic consumption,
artists including Shibata Zeshin (lot 74), Yuasa Kagyo (lot 78) and eighteenth century export wares shipped from the Dutch trading
Ogaki Shokun (lot 90) demonstrated masterful skill and innovation post in Nagasaki were produced on a larger scale and utilised
in refining various techniques while adapting other elements
in order to appeal to the shifting aesthetic tastes of a rapidly
modernising Japan.

8 | BONHAMS