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Lot Essay
The current rock mountain is fitted within two Japanese wood boxes. The cover of the smaller wood box is inscribed on one side with the characters long men (dragon gate), signed Gyokuzen; the other side with an inscription by Gyokuzen with a cyclical renzi date corresponding to 1852, explaining that he has renamed the rock ‘Mount Horai (Penglai)’, an immortal dwelling supported on a turtle’s back in Chinese mythology, due to its resemblance of the underside that is similar to the texture of a turtle shell. Gyokuzen is the studio name of the renowned literati painter Yamamoto Baiitsu (1783-1856), who was active during the late Edo period. The other larger wood box is inscribed on one side of the cover with the characters reading Mount Horai, signed Nyoiou with a cyclical yihai date corresponding to 1875, and a seal reading Taiko; the other side with a seal Chisendou. Nyoiou and Taiko are both studio names of the Meiji-period poet Tani Tetsuomi (1822-1905) active in the Omi area, while Chisendou is the studio name of the seal carver Okumura Chikutei (1873-1927).
The rock is also accompanied by a mounted album with commentaries by 15 literati active in the Omi and Kyoto areas during the late 19th to early 20th century. In this album, the painter Murata Koukoku (1831-1912) portrayed the present rock mountain in two illustrations, and in a commentary dated to 1873 noted that the rock was originally possessed by Kosugi, and later came into the collection of Yamamoto Baiitsu, whom first named the rock ‘Dragon Gate’ and then ‘Mount Horai’. Its ownership had thence been transferred to Ichida. It is likely that Kosugi refers to Kosugi Goroemon (1785-1854), a Japanese entrepreneur active in Omi area during the late Edo period, while Ichida refers to Ichida Yaichirou (1843-1906), a Japanese entrepreneur active in Omi area during the Meiji period. Since the larger wood box bears the signature of Tani Tetsuomi dated to 1875 on one side and the seal of Okumura Chikutei on the other, it is possible that the rock mountain was later passed on to Okumura Chikutei and then to Okumura Chikutei.
The 15 literati participating in the making of this album include: Murata Koukoku (1831-1912), Tani Tetsuomi (1822-1905), Yamanaka Ken（1822-1885）, Kamiyama Houyou（1824-1889）, Ema Tenkou (1825-1901), Jin Shiheng (act. Guangxu period) , Tanabe Hekidou (1864-1931), Nakamura Tansui , Okamoto Yu（1810-1897）, Katayama Tsutomu, Hayashi Sokyou (1828-1896), Ichimura Ken（1842-1899）, most of whom had poems included in the publication Nihon Dojin Shisen, which was published in 1883 in Japan and compiled by the Chinese poet Chen Manshou who travelled to Japan in the late 19th century and became associated with the literati circle in Omi and Kyoto areas.
The rock is also accompanied by a mounted album with commentaries by 15 literati active in the Omi and Kyoto areas during the late 19th to early 20th century. In this album, the painter Murata Koukoku (1831-1912) portrayed the present rock mountain in two illustrations, and in a commentary dated to 1873 noted that the rock was originally possessed by Kosugi, and later came into the collection of Yamamoto Baiitsu, whom first named the rock ‘Dragon Gate’ and then ‘Mount Horai’. Its ownership had thence been transferred to Ichida. It is likely that Kosugi refers to Kosugi Goroemon (1785-1854), a Japanese entrepreneur active in Omi area during the late Edo period, while Ichida refers to Ichida Yaichirou (1843-1906), a Japanese entrepreneur active in Omi area during the Meiji period. Since the larger wood box bears the signature of Tani Tetsuomi dated to 1875 on one side and the seal of Okumura Chikutei on the other, it is possible that the rock mountain was later passed on to Okumura Chikutei and then to Okumura Chikutei.
The 15 literati participating in the making of this album include: Murata Koukoku (1831-1912), Tani Tetsuomi (1822-1905), Yamanaka Ken（1822-1885）, Kamiyama Houyou（1824-1889）, Ema Tenkou (1825-1901), Jin Shiheng (act. Guangxu period) , Tanabe Hekidou (1864-1931), Nakamura Tansui , Okamoto Yu（1810-1897）, Katayama Tsutomu, Hayashi Sokyou (1828-1896), Ichimura Ken（1842-1899）, most of whom had poems included in the publication Nihon Dojin Shisen, which was published in 1883 in Japan and compiled by the Chinese poet Chen Manshou who travelled to Japan in the late 19th century and became associated with the literati circle in Omi and Kyoto areas.