BackNo.46
OCTOBER 1935
CRITICAL STUDIES ON CHINESE PAINTINGS IMPORTED INTO JAPAN IN THE KAMAKURA AND ASHIKAGA PERIODS.
BY SHIN'ICHI TANI
(ON THE APPECIATION OF CHINESE PAINTING IN THE JAPANESE MIDDLE AGES. PART II)
In the July issue of the Bijutsu Kenkyu, Mr. Tani tried to elucidate the way in which the Japanese appreciated the Chinese paintings in Medieval times. In the present issue, he discusses the authenticity and value of these Chinese paintings imported in the Middle Ages.
After investigating the description of Mu-ch'i's paintings in the old documents, the writer picked out 104 items, all of which were ascribed to this master. It is, however, rather questionable whether all these pieces can be looked upon as the master's works. A remark made by Osen Keisan, a Zen priest who died in 1493, throws an interesting light on this problem. He claimed that many forgeries of ancient and modern masters' works were made in China in his days.
This alone should suffice to throw doubts on the origin of the Chinese paintings imported during the Kamakura and Ashikaga periods. Nevertheless, Chinese paintings were highly esteemed by devotees of art, because they were rare and expensive. Their prices were ridiculously high, compared with those of contemporary Japnese paintings. E.g., a triptych of kakemonos by Mu-ch'i was priced at 10,000 hiki; whereas a Buddhist painting by Takuma Hogen costed only 200 hiki.
ON BOOKS OF SEALS OF FAMOUS CHINESE AND JAPANESE PAINTER PUBLISHED IN THE TOKUGAWA PERIOD.
BY KISAKU TANAKA
It is worth noting that a book of painters' seals was already compiled and published early in the Tokugawa period. In China such an attempt has never been made up to the present.
The earliest book of painters' seals is the "Kundaikan In" which was published in January 1647. Now we introduce another of the most ancient books of painters' seals, which has hitherto been almost unknown to the public.
The title is "Wakan Rekidai Gashi Meiin Shazu" Book of the Seals used by famous Chinese and Japanese Painters.) The book was published only seven months later than the "Kundaikan In." Comparing the contents of these two books, we find that both are compiled from an original edition which does not exist any more.
Though a considerable number of seals are introduced in these books, most of the sketches are so inaccurate that we cannot identify them with the original seals stamped on the paintings. But, in spite of thier inaccracy, we cannot deny the historical significance of the books of painters' seals published at such an early date.
ON THE SCROLL PAINTING "ONO YUKIMI GOKO EKOTOBA" OR "THE EMPEROR SHIRAKAWA'S VISIT TO ONO TO ENJOY THE SNOWY LANDSCAPE
BY JIRO UMEDU
The story presented in this scroll is the following:--
One day, it snowed so fancifully, that the Emperor Shirakawa made up his mind to pay an unexpected visit to the Empress Dowagef who had retired to the village of one at the foot of Mr. Hiei. A courtier secretly informed the Empress Dowager of the Empreor's intention, so that the Empress Dowager could prepare a welcome for the Emperor. As soon as the Emperor, accompanied by his suite, arrived at the One palace,two fair maidens, one with a sake-holder and the other with a cup, came down to the snow-covered ground and served the Emperor. Then a lady presented the Emperor with a twig of pain decotated in scarlet. Just then the show was falling heavily, thus creating a charming contrast between the green twig and the scarlet decoration. The Emperor was so much pleased with the witty entertainment, that he presented the Empress Dowager with the title-deed of an estate in the Mino Province. She, however,gave it to the courtier who had informed her of the Emperor's intention. (The whole scroll is reproduced on P1. XIII-XI. Pl. I shows the scene where the titld-deed is bestowed upon the courtier.)
The scroll is divided into four sections, but it seems to the winter that there must have originally been one more section at the beginning of the scroll. The second section is misplaced, it should come last.
As to theo date of the scroll, we may safely assume that it was painted in the late Kamakura period. thus we may claasify it among the tsukurie of the Kamakura period, in spite of the fact that some details are executed in the linear style.
PLATES
P1. III, IV & XII. Sixteen Arhans. BY CHAO CHU
Painted on Silk in Colour. Mounted as a Pair of eight-fold Screens.
Size of each Painting: H. 87.7 cm, W. 44 cm.
Property of the Hokkekyoji Monastery, Chiba-ken.
We know from the inscription that the present images were painted by Chao Chu, a painter of the late Sung or Yuan dynasy, who lived in the city of Ning-pao. But we have not yet been able to find the name Chao Chu in any Chinese authority-a similar problem as in the case of Lu Hsien-chung and others.
Among the series of sexteen Arhans, the first, the second, the fifth and the tenth are replaced by pictures painted by painters of the Kano school.
P1. V. A Pair of Mandarin Ducks. BY OKADA KANRIN
Painted on Silk in Colour. Mounted as a Kakemono.
Size: H. 83.5 cm., W. 33 cm.
In the Collection of Mr. Ichihei Murai, Mie-ken.
Okada Kanrin was born in 1775 and died in 1847 in Edo. His force were flowers and birds, but examples of his work are rare. Though he is said to be one of the desciples of Buncho, the present picture shows the stylistic influence of the flower-and-bird painting of the Nagasaki school.
P1. VI. & XIII. Image of Achala.
Sculpture in Wood, pinted.
Height: 87 cm.
In the Shochiin Monastery, Wakayama-ken.
It is evident that the image, with its solemn expression, is a product of the Jogan period.
But the carving of the face is superficial, though modelled in large in large surfaces; the treatment of the drapery is somewhat feeble in spite of the masterly handling of the chisel. These qualities point to a date at the close of the Jogan period.
By the way, it is the best and the oldest of all statiues of Achala extant in this country.
P1. VIII. Receptacle of the Nosashogyoku.
Gilt Bronze.
Height: 28 cm.
Property of the Chofukuji Monastery, Nara-ken.
"Nosashogyoku" is a globule made of Buddha's remains and six kinds of incense mixed together. It was worshipped by all Buddhists of the mystic sects. The reliquary which contains the "Nosashogyoku" is called "Nosashoto." We reproduce an unique example of the "Nosashoto." Judging by its style we may assume that the date of its production is somewhere around the middle of the Kamakura period.