Page 116 - Fine Japanese Art November 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

94 | YAMADA KISAI: A BOXWOOD OKIMONO OF RAKAN KALIKA

By Yamada Kisai (active 1864-1901), signed Nan’etsu Kisai
Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912)

The intricate carving depicts the Rakan Kalika holding a scroll and dressed in elaborate flowing
robes, leaving the chest bare, riding on an elephant that holds a reishi fungus in his trunk. The
bottom with a neatly incised artist signature reading NAN’ETSU KISAI (Kisai of South Etchu region).
Note the finely inlaid eyes in black horn of both the elephant and the rakan. The tusks of the
elephant are inlaid in carved stag antler.
LENGTH 27 cm

Condition: One of the tusks has been reattached. Minor loss to tip of reishi. One tiny age crack.
Naturally grown golden-brown patina, nicely enhancing the characteristic grain of the wood.
Provenance: From an Austrian private collection. Kept in the same family since the first half of the
20th century and thence by descent.
Yamada Kisai was born into a family of Buddhist wood sculptors, originally from Fukui prefecture
(southern Etchu province). It was Okakura Tenshin (1862-1913, also known as Okakura Kakuzo) who
initially discovered the talent in young Yamada Kisai and encouraged him to study wood sculpting
under him and Takamura Koun, at Tokyo School of Fine Art.
Yamada Kisai taught wood sculpture as professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Art. One of his most
representative works is a huge bronze statue of samurai Kusunoki Masashige, located at the
Imperial Palace Plaza. This was made in 1897 in collaboration with the leading sculptors of the time
Takamura Koun, Ishikawa Komei, Goto Sadayuki and Yamada Kisai. The wooden model was finished
in 1893, the final bronze work in 1897.

Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.000,-

112 113