Page 72 - Christies Japanese and Korean Art Sept 22 2020 NYC

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A PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL IMPERIAL Together with Namikawa Yasuyuki, Sosuke was appointed as
PRESENTATION VASES a Teishitsu Gigeiin (Imperial Artist) in 1896. Sosuke pioneered
MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY), EACH SEALED SAKIGAKE a pictorial style of cloisonné enameling also known as 'wireless
(WORKSHOP OF NAMIKAWA SOSUKE; 1847-1910) cloisonné' in around 1879, in which the usual wires are either
Each vase of tapering ovoid form with high chamfered shoulder and absent or invisible. He was able to merge different colors and shades
slightly flared neck, decorated in polychrome enamels and silver and together giving the impression of brush painting, although he
gold wires with herons, flying kingfisher and reeds on a pale blue also often used some wire to enhance the composition. Although
ground changing to pale gray at the bottom, applied with white Sosuke often depicted illustrations by well-known painters, such as
sixteen-petal chrysanthemum crests of the Imperial Household on Watanabe Seitei (1851-1918), he was a great artist in his own right.
the neck, the shoulder with stylized flower motifs on a green ground, He is perhaps best known for the thirty-two cloisonné plaques
signature on base, gilt rims for the audience room of the Geihinkan (formerly the Akasaka
14¡ in. (36.5 cm.) high each Detached Palace) that he completed shortly before his death after
With wood box inscribed Takanawa goden yori hairyo gomon tsuki ten years work.
shippo kabin ittsui (Pair of cloisonné vases with chrysanthemum crest
given from the Takanawa Imperial Residence) This type of vases with chrysanthemum crests of the Imperial
Household were often presented from the Emperor or Imperial
(2) Household as an Imperial Gift during the Meiji period. For a pair
of presentation vases by the same artist with an identical design
$200,000-250,000
in the Khalili collection, see Enamel, vol. 3 of Meiji no Takara/
Treasures of Imperial Japan: The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Japanese
Art, Oliver Impey and Malcolm Fairley, gen. eds. (London: The
PROVENANCE:
The Takanawa Imperial Residence Kibo Foundation, 1995), no. 88.
Private collection, recieved from above as an Imperial gift on 13th
April 1899

inscription on box
(another view)