Page 86 - Sotheby's May 14, 2019 Fine Japanese Art. London

PROPERTY OF A EUROPEAN GENTLEMAN

A PORTABLE CHRISTIAN SHRINE

When Francis Xavier, one of the the original request and its subsequent was totally banned until the Meiji
founders of the Society of Jesus (the delivery in Japan the they were obliged (1868-1912) period. As a consequence
Jesuits) arrived in Japan in 1549 to to commission local Japanese artists these portable Christian shrines are
commence his missionary work of to produce copies of the paintings extremely rare and only about twenty
converting the Japanese to Christianity, and at the same time to arrange for are currently known to have survived.
he brought with him several Italian their hanging lacquer cases to be The existence of such Nanban
paintings of religious subjects of Christ, made by local artisans in Kyoto. As a (‘Southern Barbarian’) shrines was
the Virgin Mary and various saints. consequence the majority of these oil first recognized by Martha Boyer
These were originally intended to paintings on copper or wooden panels in 1951 (Boyer, Japanese Export
decorate the various churches which show a European stylistic influence, Lacquer [Copenhagen, 1951], p. xxvii,
he hoped to construct, but as time went whereas the lacquer cases are decorated pl.23). Subsequent research by the
by he realised that was an increasingly with a mingling of European and Japanese lacquer scholars Okada Jo
strong demand from local converts for Japanese Kano style. At the same time and Arakawa Hirozaku, as well as by
copies of these religious images to assist a Neapolitan Jesuit, Brother Giovanni Toshio Watanabe, Haino Akio and
them in their devotions, and at the Niccolò (1563-1626) who had arrived Oliver Impey subsequently discovered
same time these images were extremely in Nagasaki in 1583, set up the Jesuit further examples. For a similar example
useful for spreading farther afield the Art Academy in Kyushu which became now in the Kyushu National Museum
knowledge of Christianity. an active centre for many Chinese and collection, see Sezon Museum of Art
As Francis Xavier was deemed to be Japanese students. and Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of
a representative of the King of Portugal Very few of these pieces remain Art, eds, ‘Porutogaru to Nanban bunka’
he received a friendly welcome despite to-day as Christianity was banned by ten: Mezase toho no kuniguni [‘Portugal
the misgivings of the local governor and the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1620, the and Nanban culture’ exhibition: Via
his teaching of Catholicism met with missionaries were expelled and a long Orientals] (Tokyo, 1993), p.206, no.184
great initial success. In a short while campaign of execution and persecution and go to the Kyushu National Museum
the demand for hanging lacquer shrines against both those missionaries who website (Japanese): http:/www.kyuhaku.
and portable lecterns exceeded the remained illegally and all their converts jp/collection/collection_gl01.html.
supply, and the Jesuits commissioned was carried out and virtually every For another shrine see Oliver Impey,
further works from the Jesuit Curia in item of Christian significance was Japanese Export Lacquer 1580-1850
Rome but, owing to the long time gap, systematically rooted out and destroyed. (Amsterdam, 2005), p.186, fig.445.
in many cases several years, between In fact the practice of Christianity

84 Buyers are liable to pay both the hammer price (as estimated above) and the buyer’s premium together with any applicable taxes and Artist’s Resale Right (which will depend on the individual circumstanc-
es). Refer to the Buying at Auction and VAT sections at the back of this catalogue for further information.