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Lot Essay
Conder's teacher Kyosai (see lot 212) was interested in the image of Reisho as a Kano-school prototype of Chinese beauty and himself painted more than one picture of her, as well as owning a painting of the same subject by the early Edo-period artist Hanabusa Itcho (1652-1724). The daughter of a Zen Buddhist disciple, Reisho was sent out to sell bamboo baskets made by her father; here she is shown with the eccentric monk Jittoku who lived like Reisho in the Tang dynasty and is best known in Japanese art in his pairing with Kanzan (Hanshan).1
As noted above (lot 212), Josiah Conder formally became a student of Kawanabe Kyosai in 1881, and in 1884 he was given the art-name Kyoei, made up in the usual manner of the Kyo from Kyosai's name and ei meaning 'England'. Also in 1884, Conder submitted paintings to the second Naikoku Kaiga Kyoshinkai [National Exhibition for the Promotion of Painting] and received a commendation; at another exhibition in 1886 he was awarded a bronze medal. With only a few years' training during a particularly busy time in his career as an architect, Conder could not hope to attain to Kyosai's level of accomplishment; nevertheless he was remarkably successful in assimilating his master's style. As Conder himself noted, 'I acquitted myself sufficiently to the painter's credit and satisfaction to be persuaded by him to submit several pictures to yearly Art Exhibitions, some of them being honoured by premiation'.2
1 Clark, cat. no. 49
2 Conder, p. v
As noted above (lot 212), Josiah Conder formally became a student of Kawanabe Kyosai in 1881, and in 1884 he was given the art-name Kyoei, made up in the usual manner of the Kyo from Kyosai's name and ei meaning 'England'. Also in 1884, Conder submitted paintings to the second Naikoku Kaiga Kyoshinkai [National Exhibition for the Promotion of Painting] and received a commendation; at another exhibition in 1886 he was awarded a bronze medal. With only a few years' training during a particularly busy time in his career as an architect, Conder could not hope to attain to Kyosai's level of accomplishment; nevertheless he was remarkably successful in assimilating his master's style. As Conder himself noted, 'I acquitted myself sufficiently to the painter's credit and satisfaction to be persuaded by him to submit several pictures to yearly Art Exhibitions, some of them being honoured by premiation'.
1 Clark, cat. no. 49
2 Conder, p. v