Page 22 - Christie's The Joseph Collection of Japanese Art

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A LACQUER FUBAKO [LETTER BOX]
SIGNED KOSAI [TSUZUKI KOSAI], TAISHO PERIOD
(EARLY 20TH CENTURY)
厳島大鳥居鹿図蒔絵文箱
銘 幸哉（都筑幸哉） 大正時代（20世紀前期）
The rectangular box slightly curved with an overhanging cover, decorated in gold,
silver and black hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, togidashi, kinpun and nashiji with deer and
the torii gate of the Itsukushima Shrine in the sea, the design continuing onto the
sides, nashiji interior, silver rims
39cm. long
£5,000-7,000 $8,500-12,000
€6,200-8,600

Constructed in the 12th century and late renovated, the Itsukushima Shrine
at Miyajima in today’s Hiroshima Bay became one of Japan’s famous ‘Three
Great Beauty Spots’ along with Amanohashidate and Matsushima. As travel
for purposes of pilgrimage and sightseeing increased, so did the popularity of
such picturesque sites and such celebrated places provided the subject matter
for many artworks. The shrine was built like a pier over the water, permitting
pilgrims to approach by boat. The beauty point is the grand torii gate that is more
than 16 metres in height and appears to foat in the sea at high tide. The deer in
Itsukushima are regarded as the shinroku [sacred deer], the divine messenger in
Shinto religion.

Tsuzuki Kosai was a pupil of Ikeda Taishin (1825-1903).

(side view)

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