A Rimpa School Suzuribako

SIGNED NAGATA YUJI, 18TH CENTURY

Details

A Rimpa School Suzuribako
Signed Nagata Yuji, 18th Century
Decorated in typical Rimpa style, with black and gold lacquer, the fine solidly sprinkled ground enriched with slightly larger "eyes", the top of the cover with a cockerel standing on a hillside amid wild plants with shell inlay, the interior with a fan decorated with a courtier, with pewter inlays to the robe and the fan struts, the courtier's hair, eyebrows and pupils in black lacquer, the gold hillside is continued in simple form on the side and interior of the box, which is fitted with a fundame-rimmed suzuri and a copper mizuire in the form of a fruit?
9 1/8in. (23.2cm.) wide

Provenance

Collection Arthur Kay, no. 93

Sale room notice

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Lot Essay

Ted Wrangham in his book The Index of Inro Artists, notes that "little is known about the Nagata family of lacquerers" but the note stuck to the suzuri may well be accurate. If Yuji (or Tomoji) was a pupil of Korin, he has followed the style (and a subject) of his master very closely on the interior of the cover but the style of the exterior is different - and may be his own.

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