by KAMISAKA Yukichi (1886–1938)
Late Taisho/early Showa period 1920-30
Gold makie with tin and shell inlay on a tamenuri ground
71.4 x 36.4 x 27 (h) cm Original signed & sealed storage box
Displaying the clean lines and simply finished wood, a tamenuri ground, typical of Tea Ceremony shelves, this elegant piece by Kamisaka Yukichi takes as its motif a poem by Heian courtier, poet and monk Yoshishige no Yasutane (d. 997). Recorded in the Wakan roeishu poetry anthology that was compiled in 1013, it can be read Behind the ancient castle, you can be young and full of hopes for the future; moving through the gate, time passes slowly and you become ageless. Because of its celebration of longevity this poem is usually associated with the Japanese New Year.
Yasutane's writings frequently attacked the ruling Fujiwara family whose materialistic lifestyle he saw as causing social discontent. In retirement he retreated to a life based on Confucian values, constructing a small community of properties centred around an artificial pond. Such sentiment of retreat to an ideal society was seen again in 17th century Kyoto, when the artist Honami Koetsu (1558- 1637) established an artistic community intended to create a Land of Eternal Buddhist Light, jojakko. The images of cranes that Yukichi takes are reminiscent of Koetsu's work as seen in his No libretto Kanehira, while the lyrical water lines may serve to recall the setting of Yasutane.