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Lot 291*

A lacquer tebunko (letter box) and cover decorated with a design after Sotatsu
By Koda Shuetsu (1881-1933), Taisho Period

11 May 2010, 10:30 BST
London, New Bond Street

£3,000 - £4,000

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A lacquer tebunko (letter box) and cover decorated with a design after Sotatsu

By Koda Shuetsu (1881-1933), Taisho Period
The tan ground boldly lacquered in gold hiramakie and applied with details of pewter and mother-of-pearl, depicting a courtier rowing a boat in tumultuous waters, the inside of the cover and box scattered with sprays of pine needles in gold hiramakie, unsigned, with tomobako titled Tebunko funabito makie (letter box with oarsman design) and signed by the artist makie-shi, Koda Shuetsu (lacquer artist, Koda Shuetsu) with seal do and an anonymous shita-e of the same design. 10cm x 21cm x 26cm (4in x 8¼in x 10¼in). (4).

Footnotes

舟人図蒔絵手文庫 迎田秋悦 大正時代

Koda Shuetsu was a major 20th century Kyoto lacquer artist. He was born into a family of lacquer artists, his father being the 5th generation lacquer artist Yamamoto Rihei (1839-1908). He took part in numerous exhibitions and in 1920, he together with Akatsuka Jitoku (1871-1936), participated in the first Tokyo exhibition, which was one of the most important exhibitions of the Taisho period. In 1932 the artist was selected to take part in a large government-sponsored exhibition for export of the arts. Shuetsu's works are in many important institutions including the Tokyo National Museum.

The subject of the lacquer box most probably comes from the Ise Monogatari (The Tales of Ise), a tenth-century collection of stories and poems detailing the amorous adventures of the courtier Ariwara no Narihira (852-880).

Additional information

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