A GOTO SCHOOL KURIKARA KEN-RYU KOZUKA

Details

A GOTO SCHOOL KURIKARA KEN-RYU KOZUKA
MUROMACHI PERIOD (CIRCA 1500), ATTESTED TO GOTO SOJO BY GOTO RENJO

The plate of very small grain shakudo nanako is overlaid in sheet gold (uttori) with a dragon and ken. The gold frame with a 'cat scratched' (neko yasuri) finish. Incised on the reverse Mon Sojo and signed Mitsutomo with kao--length 9.7cm., thickness 9mm.

Double wood storage boxes. Inner box with inscription by Sato Kanzan, dated autumn, 1974.

Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., no. 245, dated April 15th, 1971; and by a juyo kodogu certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., no. 5878, dated July 10th, 1976.

Provenance

Amiya (Ogura Soemon)
Alexander Moslé
Joseph U. Seo, New York

Literature

Moslé (1908), pl. II. fig. 3.
Moslé (1914), pl. XV, no. 122.
Moslé (1932), vol. I, pp. 87-88 (for the back of the kozuka).
One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 70.

Lot Essay

Goto Renjo (Mitsutomo, 1627-1708) was the tenth Shirobei mainline master. He was born in Kyoto and was the second son on Goto Yujo (1432-1512). His elder brother Hikoshiro died at the age of twenty and therefore Sojo inherited the title. His style is very close to Yujo, with whom he worked for over thirty-five years, and he used many of the same designs. In 1501, at the age of forty, he cut his hair and became a priest. He died at Sakamoto in Omi Province while in the service of Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Kuchiki Tanetsuna of Omi. He was buried in Kyoto at Rendaiji. Goto Renjo (Mitsutomo, 1627-1708) was the tenth Shirobei mainline master.