Lot Essay
Examples of Christian missal stands, also called book-stands or bible-rests and in Japanese, shokendai, may be found in the Tokyo National Musuem, the Namban Bunkakan Osaka, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in Lisbon, Igreja Paroquiel in Tavira, Capela do Hospital de Universidade in Coinbra, the Musue Municipal in Portalegre and elsewhere. The Tokyo example, besides being slightly larger, incorporates more shell inlay in geometric designs. Precise dating of Christian Namban lacquers is difficult, but is generally taken to be after 1580, when the Korean influence on lacquer was felt, and before 1614, when the merciless persecution of Christians began. Contemporary with the missal stands are the cylindrical pyxides, or host-boxes, similarly decorated with the Jesuit monogram on their covers, and the portable retables or travelling shrines, several of which have appeared in New York recently.
Although Korean lacquerwork was already known in Japan in the Muromachi period it seems to have had little effect on contemporary Japanese lacquer, and it was Hideyoshi's two Korean campaigns at the end of the 16th century which brought Korean craftsmen, and objects, to Japan, and which seem to have been a strong influence in the development of this style of decoration.
However, it is also very interesting to note that the shape and construction of these Japanese missal stands was almost certainly derived from Goanese carved wood originals although equally there is evidence to suggest that the form is based on an Islamic prototype. A number of these delightful missal stands can be found in Portugal, the most similar example to this one being of wood and lacquer with I.H.S. in a sunken centre and carved stylised flowers on the corners in the Church of S. Vicente do Paul in Santarem. This example is illustrated in Inventario Artistico de Portugal (Distrio de Santarem), Lisboa, 1949 (pl. CXXXV) as is a carved wood and gilt missal stand in the Church of Nossa Senhora da Purificacao, do Olival (pl. CLXXI) and two other Goanese examples simply of carved wood and both with Dominican influence. The first is of a similar shape and construction with the same lower frieze in Igrejer de S. Domingos de Vale de Figueira (pl. CXXXVI) and the second of similar construction and shape in the Church of S. Pedro de Alvega, Concelho de Abrantes (pl. LXIX).
Similar examples sold in these rooms lot 18, 27 November 1984 and lot 236, 14 June 1989.
Although Korean lacquerwork was already known in Japan in the Muromachi period it seems to have had little effect on contemporary Japanese lacquer, and it was Hideyoshi's two Korean campaigns at the end of the 16th century which brought Korean craftsmen, and objects, to Japan, and which seem to have been a strong influence in the development of this style of decoration.
However, it is also very interesting to note that the shape and construction of these Japanese missal stands was almost certainly derived from Goanese carved wood originals although equally there is evidence to suggest that the form is based on an Islamic prototype. A number of these delightful missal stands can be found in Portugal, the most similar example to this one being of wood and lacquer with I.H.S. in a sunken centre and carved stylised flowers on the corners in the Church of S. Vicente do Paul in Santarem. This example is illustrated in Inventario Artistico de Portugal (Distrio de Santarem), Lisboa, 1949 (pl. CXXXV) as is a carved wood and gilt missal stand in the Church of Nossa Senhora da Purificacao, do Olival (pl. CLXXI) and two other Goanese examples simply of carved wood and both with Dominican influence. The first is of a similar shape and construction with the same lower frieze in Igrejer de S. Domingos de Vale de Figueira (pl. CXXXVI) and the second of similar construction and shape in the Church of S. Pedro de Alvega, Concelho de Abrantes (pl. LXIX).
Similar examples sold in these rooms lot 18, 27 November 1984 and lot 236, 14 June 1989.