Page 54 - Christies Japanese and Korean Art Sept 22 2020 NYC

Property from the Ankarcrona Collection of
Japanese Lacquer and Asian Works of Art
(LOTS 33-39)

39
A LACQUER ACCESSORY BOX (TEBAKO)
MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)
The deep, rectangular box with rounded corners intricately decorated
in gold, silver and black hiramaki-e and togidashi-e with details in
kimpun, kirikane and aogai, with the Buddhist deity Mahamayuri
(Kujaku Myo-o, the Peacock Shining King) seated on the back of
a peacock, its tail forming a large feather halo behind the deity; the
peacock stands upon a lotus plant within a lotus pond; the interior
and underside in rich nashiji, silver and fundame rims
11æ x 9¡ x 6º in. (30 x 23.8 x 15.8 cm.)
$14,000-18,000

PROVENANCE:
Yamanaka & Co., London, V663 (label to inside cover).
LITERATURE:
Eskenazi Ltd., Japanese Inro and Lacquer-ware from a Private Swedish
Collection, London, 1996, no. 82, pp. 94-95.

The only Guardian King to have a serene and graceful appearance,
Kujaku Myo-o is believed to ward off disaster and bring relief
from drought. Here the deity is depicted holding two peacock
feathers and a Buddhist jewel. The lotuses are rendered in a manner
remenicient of early Buddhist lacquers.