EDO PERIOD (EARLY 17TH CENTURY)

Details

A Rare Early Kendai [Lectern]
Edo Period (Early 17th Century)
Of the same construction as a Nanban-style kendai with the bookrest and foot hinged so that they can be folded flat for transport, the entire surfaced covered in black lacquer and decorated in gold and aokin hiramaki-e with shell inlay, depicting a spray of chrysanthemums, Chinese bellflowers, hagi [bush clover], and morning glories, and on the reverse wistaria, bamboo, irises, omodaka [water plantain] and mandarin ducks, the corners, feet and ledge with good-quality gilt fittings with floral decoration on a nanako ground, some old wear
12½ x 10¼in. (31.8x 26cm.)

Special notice

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Lot Essay

This an unusual example of a reading stand manufactured for Christian liturgical purposes but decorated in the 'Kodaiji' style, usually associated with items for traditional Japanese use, rather than the Nanban ['Southern Barbarian'] style. It has long been recognised that both styles utilised a number of novel time-saving lacquer techniques, including kakiwari [scratching lines in the lacquer after it has been applied] and enashiji [small areas of nashiji enhancing details of the design], and it is in fact likely that both types of lacquer were produced in the same Kyoto workshops, but this appears to be one of only two recorded lecterns decorated in the 'Kodaiji' manner. For the other example, see Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Art Namban: Les Portugais au Japon/Nambankunst: Portugezen in Japan (Exhibition catalogue, 30 September-17 December 1989; Brussels, 1989), cat. no. 42, in the Jesuit College at Coimbra.

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