Viper6924

I think you did a smashing job on that lid, Piers. Looks like it’s been part of the oil pot from the very start. Great work on a great oil pot. Jan

Whilst preparing to arrange some flowers in this vase, I took a picture of the ring at the back. That’s ”mono no aware” if you ask me Jan

You have sharp eyes, Piers Yes it’s indeed a Kake-hana-ire or hanging vase from Iga. It’s dated to the early Edo period. It recently came out of a very prestigious tea collection. It comes with a brushed inscription done by the 11th head master of the Omotesenke school done in 1880, so I guess the tomobako comes from that occation. It’s a stunning vase that forces the viewer to take his/her time studying the keshiki or ”features”. And there are many to enjoy as you can clearly see from this picture. A fine vase in a fine box Jan

When a tomobako looks like this, you know it holds something good The box itself is a work of art. Just look at the beautifully executed corners of the box as well as the lid. Even the wooden peg is cut to follow the contour of the box. Jan

Now that’s an Inatomi ryu if I ever seen one. It’s actually rather easy to spot a Inatomi-ryu matchlock. Not only because of the overall ”flat” design but there are tons of small details that screams Inatomi-ryu. Compare the pictures you just posted with this one. As always; it’s in the details Congrats to an amazing gun that also holds a lot of historical importance. Jan

It’s always easy when you know what to look for Yes please take some additional picture of your latest. I call it the latest as I know more matchlock will find the way into your collection in the future Have a great christmas, my friend! Jan

The inlay looks very high-quality indeed. Might be original to this matchlock. I also see the ”jewel” decoration. As it happens I’m also lucky enough to own a proper Inatomi ryu. That one is also fitted with such a brass decoration. I wonder if this was something the gunsmiths used on Inatomi-ryu matchlocks? Oh, and I need some more pictures of your most reason addition to your growing collection. Don’t let this one ”slip away” Jan

You managed to pull together a nice display for that event. Well done Jan

There are indeed many works where the artist added a signature/seal, but the vaste majority of these were made by famous/semi famous artist. The pine is an evergreen, so it’s not poetically connected to any season. If you combine it with plum and bamboo, well then it’s connected to winter. But on its own, as in this poem, it’s non-seasonal. Jan

We know that Rengetsu helped many budding artist to sell their art by adding one of her poems to them. That way they could bring in some well-needed funds. I think that explain why we see so many illustrated waka by Rengetsu with the artwork itself left unsigned. We see this in all sort of arts from Japan. An artist in training wouldn’t sign their work in respect of their teachers or more accomplished artists. I think your scroll is such a cooperation. I have several in my collection. Jan

Loving these candle holders 🙂 Jan

It’s mainly to do with the style of her signature. Having a long and VERY productive life, her style varied quite a lot. But there are features to look for. The way she draws the pine needles etc are typical of her. To be honest, her ability as an artist, when it came to drawings, were limited. Usually I can nail an original Rengetsu drawing in seconds 🙂 Jan

It’s indeed one of her most well-known waka. This one is very easy to relate to even for people not used to enjoy poetry. For reference let me share the same poem executed in a slightly different style 🙂 This is a large shikishi and it shows how the old lady never wasted anything. This is from her early years. Work from this period is quite rare. First it got an illustration made by Rengetsu herself. A huge bonus. But what makes it truely unique is that she clearly ran out of space. But instead of putting it in the fire, she just added the last line of the poem to the bottom of this shikishi. Apparently a good move as this piece of art survived until the 21th century 🙂 Jan

The picture of the traced calligraphy comes from the sencha mug I posted earlier. The tanzaku is currently stored away but will be displayed in the early spring. The moon-viewing festival or tsukimi in Japanese will be held at the 6th of october this year. As with all artifacts, antique or modern, if they have a seasonal motif, they should be displayed at the correct time of year. So let me give you an example of how I use the old lady from Kyoto at this time of year. In the tokonoma I have arranged some beautiful pampas grass which is closely connected to the moon festival. On the wall is displayed a rather dramatic tanzaku that reads: ”Reflecting on ancient times and burial mounds for ears I hear the voice of autumn the wind over the rushes”. The burial mounds of ears is of course connected to the gruesome habit of collecting ears during the Korean invasion. Rengetsu is contemplating the folly of men whilst the autumn winds reminds her of the changing of the seasons. I connect the autumn winds in the rushes with the grass displayed in the old Tokoname tsubo. In another part of the room I display a shikishi with a poem directly connected to the autumn moon and tall grasses. It reads: ”On Musashi Plain hanging behind the tips of pampas Who cast up this bow the crescent moon”. I don’t place this poem near the flower (grass) arrangment as it would be ”too obvious”. You need to let the mind do some thinking once in awhile. Well, that’s how I sometimes use the art by Otagaki Rengetsu. Jan