Lot Essay
In "Dojoji" the priest Anchin, amourously pursued by Kiyohime, the daughter of an innkeeper at Masago, takes refuge under a large bronze bell. Kiyohime, rushing upon the bell, turns into a dragon which wraps itself around the bell, causing it to become red hot and melt. No trace of Kiyohime or the priest remain apart from a handful of white ash.
The signature implies that the carving is by a member of the Deme family of mask carvers and the lacquer by one of the Kajikawa family or that the lacquerer is pretending that such is the case.
The signature implies that the carving is by a member of the Deme family of mask carvers and the lacquer by one of the Kajikawa family or that the lacquerer is pretending that such is the case.