A PAIR OF TOKYO BIJUTSU GAKKO KEI MENUKI

MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY), SIGNED ON TANZAKU NATSUO AND WITH KAO

Details

A PAIR OF TOKYO BIJUTSU GAKKO KEI MENUKI
meiji period (late 19th century), signed on tanzaku natsuo and with kao
The gold fittings carved and decorated in shibuichi, shakudo, silver and copper zogan with the Chinese poet Toba on a mule and an attendant with a staff strung with treasure
Height 16in. (3.3cm.) and 1in. (3.2cm.), thickness 4.5mm. and 5mm. respectively (2)

Lot Essay

Kano Natsuo (1828-1898) first studied under the Otsuki school for five years. He had his own business at age 25. He also studied Chinese literature with Tanimori Tanematsu and drawing with Nakajima Raisho (1796-1871) and became a professor at the Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko in 1881.

In his early years, Natsuo followed the traditions of Nara Toshinaga and Yokoya Somin and later he emulated the early Goto masters. He also admired Ichinomiya Nagatsune and Tsuchiya Yasuchika, studying and applying their techniques to his own work.

This pair of menuki shows some influence from the Nara school. Judging by the signature, this pair was made in Natsuo's forty's.