- VIII

SC-1

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 21.2; Diametro: 10.4

Giappone

legno- tornitura

It is a small wooden pagoda known as Hyakumantō百万塔, literally "a million pagodas/ stūpa". The term stūpa indicates a Buddhist monument, originally from the Indian subcontinent, similar to a pagoda, whose main function is to preserve relics. This Hyakumantō comes from the series of one million pieces produced by the order of Empress Shōtoku in 764 and donated to the ten largest temples of that time. In the cylindrical cavity there are small, rolled sheets on which are printed some prayer formulas called dhāranī. This small object represents not only an interesting witness in the history of Buddhism, but also an important element for Japanese culture: these dhāranī are in fact considered the oldest printed plates texts still existing. Other musealised Hyakumantō can be found at the MET in New York and the British Museum in London.

- XVII

P-1393

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 175; Larghezza: 360

Giappone

inchiostro, colori e foglia d'oro su carta

La Rinascita della Pittura Giapponese. Vent'anni di restauri al Museo Chiossone di Genova - Genova, Museo d'Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone - 28/02 - 29/06 2014

The folding screen is accompanied by a second one depicting the Battle of Ichinotai. Displayed continuously for 37 years at the Accademia Ligustica, these were dismembered and divided into twelve framed panels in the years 1962-1964. All the publications published between 1905 and 1977 refer to the attribution to the Tosa School and the dating to the 14th century, but lack historical-critical justifications and stylistic analyses. The two byōbu in the museum are part of the group of screens depicting the three main Genpei wars (Ichinotani, Yashima and Dannoura) commissioned by members of the military aristocracy to the Kanō painters between the end of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century. Folding screen consisting of six movable panels with a black lacquer frame, a brocade border with designs of cut stems on a dark blue background and an ivory background border with small swirls and scattered treasures. The hinges are in engraved, chiseled and silvered metal. The back lining is in paper with a suzumegata motif. The panels seamlessly house a representation of the Battle of Yashima. The war event is told through a wide panoramic view with valleys, buildings and stretches of sea. A complex but detailed narrative unfolds against this backdrop. Numerous anecdotes from the Romance of the Heike enrich the story. In the first panel, the boy ruler Antoku can be recognized on board one of the ships anchored in the strait, where the Taira were waiting for the Minamoto to attack them from the sea. The second and third panels depict the most famous hero of the battle, Nasu no Yoichi, a warrior of the Minamoto clan who accepted the challenge of the Taira and, having launched his horse into the sea at a gallop, pierced with a single arrow a red fan that the opponents had hung from the mainmast of one of their ships.

A.I.M.G Inv. b.341 f.2

Patinated and engraved wood, eyes, inlaid with shell, ivory, pewter, 3 x 4 cm

Full fused bronze covered in foiled gold hammered and levigated. Height 35,6 cm x ø base 11,4.

Cast and patinated bronze with black lacquer with traces of leaf gliding. Height. 47,8 cm base height 12 cm x ø 15

The statue of the standing Amida Nyorai fits in the standard typology and dimensions of “one feet and five sun” The long shaped face, the fact that the edge of the monastic coat covers the left upper arm and the formal and stylistic proximity of the figure made by the pupils of the renowned sculptor Unkei (1151-1223), allow us to date the statue to the Kamakura period, more precisely to the second half of the 13th century. However, the hands, the halo and the pedestal were replaced in the Edo period. We can assume that the Buddha Amida was placed side by side the statues of the bodhisattva Kannon and Seishi considering the typical composition of these three called Amida Sanzon.  Unfortunately, these two statues went missing as well as the original halo and pedestal. The statue expresses a feeling of monumentality and volume besides a stronger masculinity. These elements reveal an intentional reference to the style of the school of sculpture Kei of the Kamakura period.

: lacquered wood, polished red lacquer, relief decoration applied in bright and coloured paste (outside); bright and black lacquer, decoration with engraved lines saturated with gold (inside). 23,5 x 28,5 x 20,4 cm.

Porcelain, blue underglaze, bas-relief decoration. Height 60,5 cm x ø mouth 18 cm x ø base 22.2 cm

This vase clearly takes inspiration from China, both on the tianqiuping shape with a bulbous body and a long and thick neck, and on the bas-relief decoration. This technique was performed in China since the Tang period. The blue under glazed painted ornament with little branches, curled leashes and big hōsōge, flowers has bright colors on the bottom that gradually lighten from the front to the shoulder and they completely turn white on the bas-relief drawings that start to emerge on the base of the neck and become more visible. This decoration was achieved through an outstanding technique, typical of the Kōransha manufacture, that was founded in Arita in 1689 by Matashiro Fukagawa (then named Eizaimon Fukagawa), and is still active to this day. This piece is dated 1894, according to the inscription on the base which reads “Meiji nijūrokunen  Koransha sei”: “Twenty-sixth year of Meiji period [1894], Kōransha made”.

porcelain, blue underglaze, polychrome enamels overglaze. Height 24,5 cm x ø mouth 2,2 cm x ø base 8 cm

- XVI

L-0064

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 17.7; Larghezza: 16.2; Profondità: 16.2

legno laccato e intagliato

Cabinet (tansu) of almost cubic shape built in the typical shape characterizing the containers for seals. It has a projecting base and is equipped with side handles, a lock plate with padlock and handle to open the yellow bronze ring drawers. A pull-out door closes two internal drawers while a compartment at the lid encloses a separate upper space. All interior surfaces and the base are covered in glossy black lacquer. On the lid, a twelve-element border encloses a central cruciform motif; the door, rear face and side faces feature compositions of mirror pairs of jianhuan (sword apple motif) in three variants. The drawers are likely to be a non-recent Japanese replacement.