Page 158 - Fine Japanese Art November 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

135 | SHIBAYAMA IWAO: A SHIBAYAMA, LACQUER,
SILVER AND IVORY TABLE SCREEN
By Shibayama Iwao, signed Shibayama iwao for the lacquerwork
and inlays and signed Yamada for the wood work
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)

This magnificent two-fold screen shows the dramatic but also SIZE 30 x 15 x 1 cm (each panel) and 30 x 30 x 1 cm (altogether)
amusing scene of a farmer and a Samurai with his attendant
sheltering from heavy rain in a hut while a cooper and the farmer’s Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear, very minor loss to
wife with her child are still fleeing the deluge. Inlays are from coral, inlays (this author counted nine inlays lost from several hundred
ivory, tortoise shell, mother-of-pearl, tsuishu lacquer and horn. still in place, and all of them small and hardly noticeable without
Most of the inlays are incised and some have been stained. All of a magnifying glass), minimal crackling to lacquer and ivory. Minor
the inlays are on a gold and polychrome lacquer ground painted traces of glue at some of the silver hinges.
in slight relief with some areas of nashiji and mother-of-pearl Provenance: From an Austrian private collection. Kept in the same
roironuri. The ivory frame is extensively carved in high relief with family since the first half of the 20th century and thence by descent.
fine incision work. The silver hinges and embellishments show fine
chase work. The backside panels bear further fine gold, silver and Auction comparison: Compare with a closely related screen at
iron red lacquer painting on an amber colored ground depicting Bonham’s London on May 17th, 2018, lot 217, sold for £ 11,250.
birds and various flowers and plants. Also note the fine rectangular
cartouches at the front showing various children’s toys in absolutely Estimate EUR 8.000,-
stunning quality! Signed in a red lacquer cartouche SHIBAYAMA Starting price EUR 4.000,-
IWAO below a lantern with the inscription ‘lanterns’ and to the side
of a worker painted in red lacquer reading YAMADA next to an
inscription reading ‘pleasure garden’.

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