Page 91 - 2021 March 17th Japanese and Korean Art, Bonhams NYC New York

682 KEEPING CHRISTIANITY IN CHECK
A LARGE KOSATSU (SIGNBOARD PROCLAIMING THE
PROHIBITION OF CHISTIANITY) This and three other lots in the present sale, two fumi-e and two kosatsu,
Edo period (1615-1868), dated 1711 throw precious light on severe anti-Christian measures introduced by
Of pine or cypress wood in standard rectangular form with two slightly the shogunal government and maintained in place from 1614 until 1873.
pitched planks forming a roof, inscribed in ink with a large character Following the arrival of Iberian priests in Japan in the closing decades of
Sadame (Regulations) followed by the standard kosatsu text for this period the sixteenth century, Catholicism won significant numbers of converts,
(see below), followed by a date Shotoku gannen gogatsu hi (Fifth month of estimated by some at between 300,000 and 800,000 and including several
1711) senior members of the military aristocracy. The religion’s rapid spread came
14 1/4 x 37 3/4in (36.2 x 95.8cm) to an abrupt end when the unifying warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi became
alarmed at the Jesuits’ rising political influence and, in 1597, ordered the
$6,000 - 8,000 execution of 26 European and Japanese missionaries and lay people. After
Hideyoshi’s death in 1598, successive shoguns of the Tokugawa family
The inscription may be partially translated: The Kirishitan (Christian) religion imposed increasingly severe restrictions and ordered numerous mass
has been banned for year after year. If you discover a suspicious person, executions at the same time as introducing the goningumi (five-household)
you should report it. As a reward we will pay: For a priest, 500 silver mai; system, which enforced collective responsibility, and offered generous
for a lay brother. 300 silver mai; for someone who has reconverted to rewards for the betrayal of Kirishitan (Christian) priests and converts, as
Christianity, the same amount as above; for an ordinary believer, 100 silver documented in the present lot, dated 1711. Although Christianity had
mai . . . Even if the informant is an ordinary believer, they shall receive 500 gone almost completely underground by the early eighteenth century,
silver mai, but your village headman, your local five-household group, and noticeboards were erected throughout Japan right up until the very end
your family will [all] be punished if it is found that you have committed an of the Edo period, as documented by the smaller kosatsu, lot 683, dated
offense such as hiding someone. Fifth month of the first year of Shotoku 1867.
[1711], followed by the word Bugyo (Superintendent) in larger characters A parallel measure was the ceremony known as efumi, whereby Kirishitan
and a further text followed by the large characters Oi, short for Oi no kami, a were forced to stamp on Christian images before signing certificates of
title held by several senior bugyo during the Edo period. apostasy; these images evolved into the specially manufactured bronze
fumi-e (“stamping pictures”), lots 684 and 685. Fumi-e, like kosatsu, have
A kosatsu with similar text and bearing the same date is recorded on the captivated foreign collectors ever since Japan’s opening up to the outside
following website: world, which coincided with the last years of active anti-Christianity.
https://www.u-sol.co.jp/hodogaya/kosatu01.php.
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