Page 13 - Christie's The Joseph Collection of Japanese Art

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A FINE IRON KOMAI BOX AND COVER
SIGNED KYOTO KOMAI SHINRAKUDO SEI, MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)
宝袋唐子図金工小箱
銘 京都駒井信楽堂製 明治時代（19世紀後期）
In the form of Hotei’s treasure sack, decorated in gold and silver takazogan and nunomezogan, the cover depicting
a karako [Chinese child], his face well delineated, resting in a sack and holding a fan which forms the fnial, Hotei’s
sack decorated with various brocade designs including fowers, grape vine, waves and geometric patterns and
tied with long tassels hanging down
9cm. wide
£15,000-18,000 $23,000-27,000
€20,000-24,000

PROVENANCE:
Eskenazi Ltd., London
Hotei is modelled on Qieci, a mendicant Chinese monk lived in Zhejiang province of China during the Later
Liang period (907–923), who was mentioned in a 10th century collection of legends about Zen priests. By the
12th century, when he was introduced to Japan, he had become the archetypal jolly vagabond. In the late 16th
century, a time of civil wars, he became associated with prayers for peace. Images of Hotei were displayed in
private homes as the god of good fortune and happiness. Eventually, he was absorbed into Japanese popular
religion as one of the Shichifukujin [Seven Gods of Good Luck]. From the Muromachi period (1336-1573), Hotei
and karako were depicted together in many Japanese ink paintings and it was popular especially among women
in Edo period (1603-1868) as an emblem of easy birth.

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