Nara Geese & Bluff Tsuba
TS0381
SOLD
An excellent unsigned Nara tsuba of geese and houses on bluffs, takazogan with gold highlights, a hammered mimi, and a gilt plug in the kozuka ana. 8.05 cm x 7.65 cm x 4.6 mm at the mimi. A very dense plate, with an ishime surface, and much of the protective black lacquer remaining. Unlike so many tsuba, where the design is just a design, in this case the image is equal to any really good scroll painting of the day. With this haunting image, the tsubako has achieved art with imagery equal to the best of the Korin artists. Those of you who know my site, know that it is not my habit to wax poetic. This one needs to be held in hand to be fully appreciated.
There were three schools of Nara, and they were known as the sansaku. They were headed by Nara Toshinaga, Tsuchiya Yasuchika, Hamano Shozui (Masayuki ) Yasuchika founder of the Shonai school of Nara, a student of Yoshihisa (Chinkyu). He favored the designs of the Korin paintings, kusabana (grasses and flowers) tomabushi (thatched boat) Hotei, tsubame (waves and birds) chidori , tigers, elephant, etc. Shozui specialized in high relief engraving. He mostly employed oxen, horses, boars, bears, and Chinese people.
Toshinaga mostly made fuchi-kashira, and few tsuba and kozuka. His specialty was people, and many warriors, wood cutters, shepherds, fishermen are depicted. He also pictured oxen, shishi, birds, etc.
This is most likely from the Yasuchika line.