AN IMPRESSIVE LARGE STANDING SCREEN

SEALED KENYA, MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)

Details

AN IMPRESSIVE LARGE STANDING SCREEN
SEALED KENYA, MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)
The boldly carved wood frame with a central and two-sided panel decorated in coloured glazed ceramic and stone inlays, mother-of-pearl and nashiji, with Chinese scholastic scenes with a table laid out with various utensils including brushes, brush pot, ink and seals with a seated scholar and two karako [Chinese children], another table with karako drinking tea, the reverse with rocks under bamboo under clouds of gold nashiji, surrounded by a border with inset celadon panels imitating jade
169cm. high

Lot Essay

Kenya, along with his contemporary Teiji, were two of a group of artists who took part in the so-called Ritsuo revival in the 19th century, using glazed pottery as well as or in addition to traditional techniques.1

For a box by Teiji similarly decorated in ceramic inlays see Christies London, 16th May 2007, lot 46.

1. E. A. Wrangham, The Index of Inro Artists (Harehope, 1995), pp. 286-7 and pp.125-126; Honolulu Academy of Arts, Shadows and Reflections: Japanese Lacquer Art from the Collection of Edmund J. Lewis (Hong Kong, 1996), cat. no. 26

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