A FIVE-CASE SILVER GROUND INRO

WITH SIGNATURE ZESHIN, MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)

細節

A FIVE-CASE SILVER GROUND INRO
With signature Zeshin, Meiji Period (late 19th Century)
Decorated on a silver lacquer ground with ants attacking a leaf, one side of the takamakie leaf in polished black lacquer with a sprinkling of gold particles and veins in hiramakie, the other side in black ishime of textures ranging from fine to coarse, the ants in polished black usuniku takamakie, four of them engaged in pulling away two bits which are in gold kanagai, nashiji interior, fundame rims
3¾in. (9.5cm.) high

拍品專文

The signature on this piece is well but rather formally carved for Zeshin and the form of the cases and the overall shape of the inro is also very formal. It is close to those of the Koma Kansai line and other traditional inro makers. Examples of inro by Kansai in a similar form are illustrated in Raymond Bushell's The Inro Handbook, pp. 101 and 102, nos. 68 and 69. Shibata Zeshin was a pupil of Koma Kansai II, and this is probably an example of his early work, while still under the influence of his master.