Inari Shadō by Ishiguro Masatsune
A pair of large menuki with Inari and a Torii
Mei: Jukokusai / Masatsue (+kao)
Length: 4.9 cm / 5.5 cm
NBTHK Hozon Tōsogu
The two menuki depict distinct yet deeply interconnected subjects. The first, crafted in shibuichi, portrays a running kitsune with a sacred message in its mouth, an emblem of its role as the messenger of Inari, the Shinto deity of rice and fertility. The second, made of shakudō, copper, and gold, features a torii—the traditional gate marking the entrance to Shinto shrines—partially concealed by pine branches, a symbol of longevity and good fortune. Together, they poetically evoke the threshold of a shrine dedicated to Inari, suggesting a meeting point between the visible and the invisible, between nature and the divine.
Ishiguro Masatsune, who lived between 1760 and 1828, was the founder of the Ishiguro school. Born in Edo, he was initially a student of Yanagawa Naomasa but soon developed his own distinct style, characterized by an elegant, rich, and meticulously detailed aesthetic, especially in naturalistic depictions. His work is distinguished by a masterful use of shakudō, employing techniques such as takabori, kebori, and iroe inlays, all applied with remarkable precision and painterly sensitivity. Masatsune’s favorite themes include flowers, birds, insects, and seasonal landscapes, often rendered in vivid polychromy that enhances their grace and poetic resonance.
SOLD
(Inv. #M4)
