A rare black lacquer inro By Shibata Zeshin, 1807-1891, after the design by Ritsuo
358*
A rare black lacquer inro
By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Meiji Period
Of circular ink-cake form and containing a single drawer, after a design by Ogawa Ritsuo, carved on one side with Hotei seated, holding his gnarled staff and a rosary, the reverse with a panel inscribed Souhou (Putai) surrounded by takaramono and bearing the inscription Ritsuo with seal Kan, signed Zeshin sha, with en-suite, black lacquer hako-netsuke in the form of a used cake of ink, carved with auspicious symbols on one side and with the character takara on the other, signed Zeshin. 6cm (2 3/8in).
Sold for £18,750 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • 円形布袋図古墨意匠蒔絵印籠　銘「是真写」　明治時代

    Published: Japanese Netsuke, Inro and Lacquerware, Eskenazi Ltd., London, December 1986, no.50.

    For an identical inro, in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, see Julia Hutt, Japanese Inro, V&A Publications 1997, p.86.

    The design is taken from a Chinese woodblock printed book by Fang Yulu, titled Fang Shi Mopu, a compendium of Chinese ink-cake designs, published in c.1588. The relevant page is illustrated by Heinz Kress, Inro Motifs, part II, in the Netsuke Kenkyukai Study Journal, vol.14, no.3, Fall 1994.

Category: Asian Art / Japanese Art

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