Page 99 - Fine Japanese Art November 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

85 | YAMADA JOKASAI: A MAGNIFICENT AND
LARGE LACQUERED THREE-CASE INRO
By Yamada Jokasai, signed Jokasai
Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Published: The Netsuke Kenkyukai Study Journal, vol. 14, no. 2, p. 31, fig. 20.
E.A.Wrangham, The Index of Inro Artists, 1995, p.99, Jokasai, second row, second from left.

Exhibited: The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1972, no.21.

An unusually large three-case inro with a roiro ground and sprinkled with dense green
powder creating a unique and rare surface. The image on both sides is executed in
gold lacquer and colored togidashi-e and depicts Gama Sennin holding his frog over his
shoulder on one side, and Tekkai Sennin blowing out his soul on the other. The risers on
the inside showing gold kinji and the inside with red matte lacquer. Signed JOKASAI on the
underside in gold.
HEIGHT 8.5 cm, LENGTH 8.5 cm
Condition: Very good and original condition. Very few surface scratches and miniscule
expected wear to lacquer.
Provenance: Sir Trevor Lawrence collection, no.576. F.A. Richards collection, purchased at
Sotheby’s London, 1964. Wrangham collection, no.339 (with old label inside).

The images of Gama Sennin and Tekkai Sennin are taken from a Chinese painting by the
fourteenth century artist Yen Hui, published in Inro fu, a book of designs for inro taken
from Chinese originals, printed in 1717.
Estimate EUR 6.000,-
Starting price EUR 3.000,-

Published in Netsuke Kenkyukai Study Journal,
vol. 14, no. 2, p. 31, fig. 20, showing the Inro design was
Auction result from Bonhams influenced by the 14th century Chinese painter Yen Hui.

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