Lot 134: Kano Natsuo (1828-1898) Fine Japanese Art

1864 Kakejiku, a tall vertical scroll, ink on paper, depicting Daikoku (God of Wealth) seated on two rice bales, a mallet in his right hand, his right hand grasping his sack which he carries on his back, signed Kasshidoshi nezuki hatsu ne no hi Natsuo keisha (Respectfully drawn by Natsuo on the rat [first] day of the rat [eleventh] month of the rat [first] year of the cycle [1864]) with seal Natsuo, the textile components of the mount decorated with stylised rice bales, the jiku (rollers) of wood, lacquered in gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e on black lacquer with takaramono (auspicious objects associated with Daikoku and other gods of good fortune) and rice plants; with fitted wooden tomobako storage box inscribed outside Daikokuten kinko Natsuo ga (Painting of Daikoku by the metalworker Natsuo). 83.2cm x 17.6cm (32¾in x 6 15/16in). (2).

83.2cm x 17.6cm

: Miyazaki Tomijiro Collection.

Published: Tabako to Shio no Hakubutsukan (Tobacco and Salt Museum), Meiji no chokin: Kano Natsuo to sono jidai (Metalwork in the Meiji Era: Kano Natsuo and His Times), Kyoto, 1987, cat.no.42. Like many of the great metal-and lacquer-artists of the middle and late 19th century, Kano Natsuo was also an accomplished painter, receiving his training from Nakajima Raisho (1796-1871), a leading Kyoto master in the Maruyama-Shijo tradition. Both this scroll and lot 136, executed respectively in 1865 and 1864, were painted on rat days and the present lot was also painted in a rat month and rat year; in both cases Daikoku was chosen as the subject because of his close association with the rats often seen raiding his store of rice.