MEIJI-TAISHO PERIOD (EARLY 20TH CENTURY)

Details

A TWO-TIERED LACQUER TABLE WITH THE UJI BRIDGE BY ZOHIKO (NISHIMURA HIKOBEI)
MEIJI-TAISHO PERIOD (EARLY 20TH CENTURY)
Decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, togidashi, kirigane and nashiji and inlaid in mother-of-pearl, the top surface depicting the Uji bridge disappearing into clouds, beside a willow tree and a stream with a waterwheel and jakago (basketwork cages to prevent erosion), the bridge of gold sheet, the lower surface with further willow and clouds above a stream, the side panels with open work of stylised shippo design, lined with silver, the table with engraved shakudo mounts, with double wood storage box, the inner wood box titled Yanagibashi makie chou-taku [A lacquered centre table with willow and bridge], signed Nana-sei Heian Zohiko saku [Made by the seventh generation, Heian Zohiko] and sealed Zohiko
63.8 x 33.5 x 22.3 cm.

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Lot Essay

The Zohiko lineage dates from the time of the Kyoto lacquer craftsman Nishimura Munetada (1720-1773), who acquired the nickname "elephant boy" (Zohiko) for his lacquer image of the deity Fugen (Samantabhadra) on an elephant mount. This table is from the workshop in the period of Nishimura Hikobei VIII.

This type of table was probably used for the display of a koro [incense burner] and placed in the tokonoma area. Nishimura Hikobei VI exhibited a lacquer suzuribako with the Uji bridge design at the fifth Domestic Industrial Exposition, 1903, and won the second prize. The Uji bridge, famous for its distinct shape, evoking the 11th-century novel Genji monogatari [Tale of Genji], was one of the signature designs by Zohiko.

For a similar table by Nishimura Hikobei VI see:
Zohiko Urushi Art from the Mitsui Memorial Museum Collection, exhibition catalogue, no. M15 (previously owned by the Kitamitsui family).

For a shelf and another table with similar design see:
Zohiko Urushi Art from the Mitsui Memorial Museum Collection, exhibition catalogue, no. S25 (shelf by Nishimura Hikobei VIII, Zohiko VII), MOA museum collection, and S26 (a table by Nishimura Hikobei, Zohiko).

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