A GOTO SCHOOL KOZUKA

Details

A GOTO SCHOOL KOZUKA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1850), SIGNED ISSAI TOMEI AND KAO (ARAKI TOMEI [1817-1870])

The plate is of exceptionally fine nanako decorated with a high relief design of three heads of millet in gold and five leaves with gold and copper details on stems of shakudo. The frame has a polished shakudo surface and is signed on the reverse--length 9.7cm., width 1.5cm., thickness 7.5mm.

Kiri wood tomobako signed Issai Tomei and sealed Hidenobu, with a later inscription by Sato Kanzan dated summer, 1975.

Provenance

Joseph U. Seo, New York

Literature

Homma, Sato, Ogawa and Compton (1976), no. XXXVIII, p. 132.
One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 92.

Lot Essay

Araki Tomei (1817-1870) was born in Kyoto and became a student of Goto Tojo (1790-1862), seventh master of the Kambei branch line, and Goto Ichijo (1791-1876). Although he made many pieces in both the traditional Goto style and the Ichijo style, he was most famous for his designs employing millet heads.