Sold for €2,600
including Buyer's Premium
By Kanshosai Toyo (Iizuka Toyo I) or a close follower, signed Kanshosai 觀松齋
Japan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The wide-bodied two-case inro bearing a fine roiro ground and lacquered in gold hiramaki-e with calligraphically cut raden (shell) in the Somada-style, depicting a mare feeding its young, the raden shell of the mother purposely worn away and filled in with kinpun to give the appearance of an old Somada-style inro. The beautifully contrasting verso with an opulent, flowering cherry tree executed in thick gold takamaki-e against a stunning nashiji ground and with some sparse kirigane. Signed underneath in gold lacquer KANSHOSAI (Iizuka Toyo). The bottom case with a central divider and of nashiji, the top case of gold fundame. With a lacquered wood ojime.
HEIGHT 5.6 cm, LENGTH 7.8 cm
Condition: Very good condition with only very minor wear and few light scratches.
Provenance: From the collection of Arend Louis Serné. Arend Louis Serné (1925-2021) was the fourth-generation owner of the firm A. Serné & Son, Costumiers, located on the Groenburgwal, Amsterdam, Netherlands, established in 1866. An avid piano player, he was also fond of modern literature, and a passionate collector of inro. He started his inro collection in the late 1970s. At that time, he entered the gallery Aalderink Oriental Art along the Spiegelgracht in Amsterdam and was immediately captivated by the beauty of inro. He began his collection with three simple specimens but hoped to own more. He remarked, “Oh that's nothing, a decent collection must be about a hundred pieces!” And collect he did. Arend was not concerned with the signature or the rarity, but with the intrinsic poetic beauty embodied in this very Japanese art form.
Iizuka (Kanshosai) Toyo was a distinguished lacquerer and inro decorator during the second half of the 18th century in Edo. He had many followers and used a wide range of techniques. The boldness and originality of the design may indicate an original work by this artist. For more information on the artist see Wrangham, E. A. (1995) The Index of Inro Artists, pp. 312-313.
Museum comparison:
Compare a related lacquer inro with a similar design of horses, by Jokasai, in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), New York, Accession number 13.67.54.
By Kanshosai Toyo (Iizuka Toyo I) or a close follower, signed Kanshosai 觀松齋
Japan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The wide-bodied two-case inro bearing a fine roiro ground and lacquered in gold hiramaki-e with calligraphically cut raden (shell) in the Somada-style, depicting a mare feeding its young, the raden shell of the mother purposely worn away and filled in with kinpun to give the appearance of an old Somada-style inro. The beautifully contrasting verso with an opulent, flowering cherry tree executed in thick gold takamaki-e against a stunning nashiji ground and with some sparse kirigane. Signed underneath in gold lacquer KANSHOSAI (Iizuka Toyo). The bottom case with a central divider and of nashiji, the top case of gold fundame. With a lacquered wood ojime.
HEIGHT 5.6 cm, LENGTH 7.8 cm
Condition: Very good condition with only very minor wear and few light scratches.
Provenance: From the collection of Arend Louis Serné. Arend Louis Serné (1925-2021) was the fourth-generation owner of the firm A. Serné & Son, Costumiers, located on the Groenburgwal, Amsterdam, Netherlands, established in 1866. An avid piano player, he was also fond of modern literature, and a passionate collector of inro. He started his inro collection in the late 1970s. At that time, he entered the gallery Aalderink Oriental Art along the Spiegelgracht in Amsterdam and was immediately captivated by the beauty of inro. He began his collection with three simple specimens but hoped to own more. He remarked, “Oh that's nothing, a decent collection must be about a hundred pieces!” And collect he did. Arend was not concerned with the signature or the rarity, but with the intrinsic poetic beauty embodied in this very Japanese art form.
Iizuka (Kanshosai) Toyo was a distinguished lacquerer and inro decorator during the second half of the 18th century in Edo. He had many followers and used a wide range of techniques. The boldness and originality of the design may indicate an original work by this artist. For more information on the artist see Wrangham, E. A. (1995) The Index of Inro Artists, pp. 312-313.
Museum comparison:
Compare a related lacquer inro with a similar design of horses, by Jokasai, in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), New York, Accession number 13.67.54.
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