Page 42 - Christie's The Joseph Collection of Japanese Art

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A CIRCULAR TSUISHITSU [LAYERED LACQUER] A CHOSHITSU [CARVED LAYERED LACQUER] KOGO
KOGO [INCENSE BOX] [INCENSE BOX]
ATTRIBUTED TO OTOMARU KODO (1898-1997) SIGNED KEIDO [ISHII KEIDO (? – 1945)], DATED JINJUTSU SHOTO (1922,
堆漆香合 EARLY WINTER OR OCTOBER)
伝 音丸耕堂（1898-1997） 花文彫漆香合
銘 当刻 壬戌 初冬 磬堂 [石井磬堂 (? - 1945)]
The circular box with fush-ftting cover formed of various coloured layers of lacquer
including yellow, green, black and various shades of red The circular box with fush-ftting cover, deeply carved in high and low relief through
the layers of various shades of red lacquer with camellia, narcissus and plum
9cm. diam.
blossom, the reverse with the stem of the peony spray, the side with key-fret design,
£3,000-4,000 $5,100-6,700 the interior black lacquer
€3,700-4,900
9cm. diam.
£3,000-5,000 $5,100-8,400
Otomaru Kodo was born in Takamatsu in Kagawa prefecture and became an €3,700-6,100
apprentice of Ishii Keido at the age of 13 for four years. Afterwards he became
independent and learned choshitsu [carved layered lacquer] by himself. He
exhibited in 1932 at the Imperial art exhibitions and thereafter regularly at the Towards the end of Edo period, the art of Kagawa shikki or Sanuki shitsugei
Teiten [Exhibition of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts]. In 1995 he was declared a [lacquerware made in Kagawa] was established by Tamakaji Zokoku (1806-1869).
Ningen kokuho [living national treasure]. Since then, lacquerware in this area has fourished. In 1907, Hyakkaen, a store that
sold the Sanuki shitsugei, was founded by Tanaka Kumakichi, where many skilful
He perfected the technique of choshitsu where hundreds of thin lacquer layers are lacquer artists worked and it can be said to be an important source of lacquer
carved and also established the technique showing the cross-sectional multicoloured artists in Kagawa today. Among such artists, one of the best was Ishii Keido
lacquer layers as in this lot. He is one of the great masters who innovated in the who was especially known for his splended choshitsu [carved layered lacquer]
traditional lacquer world in the dramatically changing period of modernisation. technique along with his pupil Kamada Kado. Keido was also the master of
Otomaru Kodo who later became a Ningen kokuho [living national treasure].
For further examples by the artist see Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art ed.,
Japanese Lacquer Art: Modern Masterpieces, (New York and Kyoto, 1982), pl.80-84
and 127-129

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