† HARA YOYUSAI AND HAMANO NORIYUKI: A MAGNIFICENT GOLD LACQUER AND METAL-INLAID FOUR-CASE INRO DEPICTING KIKUJIDO
Lot 47 - NE0525

The lacquerwork by Hara Yoyusai (1772-1845) and the metal inlays by Hamano Noriyuki (1771-1852) II, signed Yoyusai 羊遊齋 saku 作 and Hamano Noriyuki 濱野 矩隨
Japan, 19^th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Published: Virginia Atchley and Neil Davey, The Virginia Atchley Collection of Japanese Miniature Arts, p. 250, no. IN70.

Of rectangular form with oval section, finely decorated in gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, as well as inlaid in shakudo and shibuichi with gold details, to depict a continuous scene with Kikujido seated among flowering kiku besides a turbulent stream. Details of the landscape with kirigane and e-nashiji, the interior of nashiji with gold fundame rims. Signed below YOYUSAI saku [made by Yoyusai] in gold lacquer and HAMANO NORIYUKI incised in a gold-inlaid reserve.

HEIGHT 9 cm, LENGTH 5.1 cm

Condition: Excellent condition with only very minor wear.
Provenance: Ex-collection Virginia Atchley, California, USA. Sydney Moss Ltd., London. An old inventory number ‘400’ lacquered to an interior rim.

Hara Yoyusai (1772-1845) is listed in Virginia Atchley and Neil Davey, The Virginia Atchley Collection of Japanese Miniature Arts, p. 355. He lived in Edo and worked for Lord Matsudaira. He had many apprentices who produced a large number of finely lacquered inro and other wares, often with his signature. Like other lacquerers, he used the designs of Rimpa painters, including Sakai Hoitsu.

The inlays were most likely done by Hamano Noriyuki II (1771-1852), listed in Virginia Atchley and Neil Davey, The Virginia Atchley Collection of Japanese Miniature Arts, p. 354. The Hamano family was well known for their sword fittings, while later generations produced kanagu as well as metal inlays for inro lacquerers.

Kikujido was an attendant of the Emperor Mu Wang and exiled to a forgotten valley where he painted sacred characters on the petals of the kiku that grew there. The dew that washed away his work thence became the elixir of everlasting youth.

Auction comparison:
Compare a related lacquer inro, by Kajikawa and Hamano Noriyuki, depicting the same subject, yet arguably less fine, at Christie’s Japanese Art & Design, 11 May 2011, London, lot 259 (sold for GBP 3,500 or approx. EUR 6,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).