Tsunenao 常直,
circa 1725-1750
Certification: Hakogaki by Kubaro
Yojoro
Tsunenao was
the chief apprentice of Ichinomiya Nagatsune, founder
of the famous Ichinomiya School in Kyoto. The Kinko Meikan
lists Tsunenao as being josaku
or ryoko, a "good" artisan, while
Sadanaka, (Wakayama lists Sadanaka as
the same man as Tsunenao), is listed as being a jojosaku, or joko
artist, an "excellent" artisan (rated as AA in the "Kinko Meikan" translation).
The translation of the "Kinko Meikan" states that Tsunenao acted as a
"surrogate for
Nagatsune", while other sources say Tsunenao wasn't above signing
his
work
using a master artisan's signature, including Nagatsune's, his teacher
(several works signed Jōi 乘意
are attributed to Tsunenao). These
two statements are likely slightly differing translations of the same original
Japanese text, but with quite different implications! Whatever the truth, these two sets of
fuchi/kashira, signed
Tsunenao w/kao, speak for themselves, and to the skill of this artist.
Magnification only enhances ones appreciation of these two sets.
When listed as Sadanaka
貞中,
his family name is given as
Iwamoto 岩本, and Banryūken 蟠龍軒 as his
art
name. When listed as Tsunenao there is no family name given, and his art name
is given as Kyūbei 久兵衛. The Sadanaka and Tsunenao signatures
use different kao.
The Ichinomiya School of Kyoto (western
kinko capital) was the counterpart to the Yokoya School of Edo (eastern
kinko
capital). Ichinomiya Nagatsune and Yokoya Somin were two of the most famous carvers
of their time. Both schools were instrumental in shifting popularity from
the formal, some say stayed, Gotō family's iebori (house carver) style, to the less
formal, freer, machibori (town carver) style. Both schools greatly influenced the many
artists working in, and around, their respective areas.
Though these
are very small menuki the details are crisp and exceptional. The expressions on
their faces would indicate that this is a jovial scene. The gold "binding" on
the sandals is finer than the silk thread in the underlying cloth, with no
discernable defects. Details are in gold, silver,
copper, and shakudo. The left fuchi has a tiger with a peony in its mouth,
surrounded by
bamboo, done in shibuichi, gold, silver, and shakudo. The fuchi on the right has a
shishi on the front and peony on the back,
done in copper, gold, silver, and shakudo.
Photos by Jack Edick
|