Comparing Rinsendo School Kozuka Crows....

[kaigunair]

I've admired Ogata Korin's crows and moon print, so when a rinsendo school kozuka recently came up for auction, it piqued my interest. I thought it might be interesting to compare two kozuka of the same theme, but that appear to reflect two completely different skill levels. What's great is that both auctions have very high resolution close ups that zoom. Unfortunately, neither has any rear signatures, but then I'm told its best to judge a piece without regard to the signature.

 

Bonhams (2013)

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20493/lot/37/

 

Christies (2012)

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Zoom ... ID=5618030

(http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/arms ... tails.aspx)

 

I don't know if either of these are genuine Mitsumasa, but I feel one is definitely better than the other. Both could be gimie, but if one isn't, then I have a strong feeling toward one being genuine vs the other.

 

Would love to hear what aspects of each kozuka people are comparing to arrive at a same/different opinion. I'll post my novice opinions hopefully after hearing what the more experienced have to say, as I'm looking forward to seeing how my eye compares....

 

Thanks in advance.

 

ps: here's a kogai from 2010. I think this one matches up to one of the kozukas up top...

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18493/lot/71/

[Lance]

I like the Christie's example more: the carving itself seems more assured, and has a greater similarity to the ink paintings that this type of work was supposed to be based on, using a less is more approach.

Also the two crows seem to be in more pleasing/natural poses, one looking up the other down, sharing space instead of just two separate birds on a tree branch. Also, with the bulk of their silhouettes in front of the moon it creates a better sense of depth overall (another plus, although I'm unsure if it was by design or wear the irregularities on the moon look to have been made to mimic craters)

 

That being said the two Bonhams examples look closer to each other, but that might be due to the possibility of same auction house, same photographer?

 

I would be happy with either though.

 

Regards,

Lance

[kaigunair]

Thanks lance! Very detailed write up and I wholly agree with your comparison points (much better said than I could have put it too).

 

I did think the kogai was closer to the Christie's auction, but will take a second look now...

 

Would love to hear more opinions!

[chris covington]

I am new to tosogu so take this with a grain of salt. Like Lance, I like the Christie's example more than either of the Bonhams examples. When you zoom in very tight you can see the carving in the tree leaves just above the moon (and below the raven on the kogai) are very different quality. The two Bonhams examples are very solid looking. The Christie's example looks more like a sumi-e. There is almost an ink like quality where the "brush strokes" have a gradation from black to gray. I'm not sure if this is because of the quality of photography or the skil of the carving but I find it much more appealing. With regards to the individual ravens in each peace I feel like the Bonhams examples the birds are simply looking at some distant insect or maybe something shiney to take to their nests. The Christie's example I feel like the raven looking at the moon is almost contemplative. I get this feeling based on the angle of the necks and the orientation of the birds' heads in relationship to the moon. In the Bonhams kozuka the one bird is looking part the moon. The kogai I fel like the bird is looking at a piece of food he droped. In the Christie's kozuka I feel the bird it looking at the moon maybe pondering how he can capture it to bring back to his nest?

 

Just my thought!

Chris

[kaigunair]

Thanks Chris for the detailed write up!

I think both you and Lance have covered the difference of the depictions of the crows better than I could have. Here are a few of my other thoughts:

 

-I like Lance's idea about the texturing of the moon in the Christie's example as being intentional. That was eye opening for me.

-There is a whole lot more care given in the katakiribori of the branches, especially the thickness and angles of the cuts in the Christies examples.

-The Moss/leaves are done much better in the Christie's example.

 

The big thing for me though, was comparing the rending of the water at the bottom of the kozukas:

-The Bonham's looks very rough and not thought out.

-The Christie's is well thought out.

 

I actually think, barring the similarities in the lighting and level of detail of the photos, the Kogai looks more like the Christie's kozuka for the following reasons:

-the water is rendered liked the Bonhams' examples.

-the moss/leaves are shaped more like the Christie's than the Bonhams

-The lines of the crow implies feathers like the Christie's, vs the outline of the Bonhams kozuka.

 

How the kogai is different than the Christies' kozuka:

-moon is not "textured".

-the branches are rendered with a little more angled, has more details, than the Christie's example, but better done than the Bonhams.

 

Highly possible they are by three different hands. I do think it hard to compare the quality of the shibuishi since the lighting and lense choice appear affect that aspect greatly. Its also too bad the lighting/angle on the Bonham examples cut into the crow details.

 

Looking forward to seeing what other details I might have missed.

[kaigunair]

Fishing for some more experienced opinions. I don't own any of the pieces, so this is just a study session for me. I do have a probable rinsendo school item coming, and was hoping to possibly hear about some defining characteristics...but it seems there isn't much interest in this school... ?