Live Auction 13127Art of Japan
An Impressive Large Komai Dish depicting a Scene from Momijigari [Maple Viewing]
Lot 121

An Impressive Large Komai Dish depicting a Scene from Momijigari [Maple Viewing]

Signed Nihon koku Kyoto ju Komai sei [made by Komai of Kyoto, Japan], Meiji period (late 19th century)

Closed8 December 2016

Price Realised

GBP 100,000

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An Impressive Large Komai Dish depicting a Scene from Momijigari [Maple Viewing]
Signed Nihon koku Kyoto ju Komai sei [made by Komai of Kyoto, Japan], Meiji period (late 19th century)
The large circular iron dish with foliate rim finely inlaid in gold, silver, shibuichi (silver alloy), shakudo (gold and copper alloy) and copper nunomezogan [fine damascene work], hirazogan [flat inlay] and takazogan [inlay in relief], the central roundel depicting Lord Taira no Koremochi menaced by the Demon of Mount Togakushi beneath a maple tree, bordered by a band of key-fret design, surrounded by two dragons, the mouth of one is closed to represent the Buddhist incantation ‘Un’ and the mouth of the other is open to represent the incantation ‘Ah’, amongst brocade decorated with various designs, the rim with grape vine
54.5 cm. diam.

Specialist note

The tale of Lord Taira no Koremochi and the Demon of Mount Togakushi is from the noh play titled Momijigari and was later also adapted in to a kabuki play. Koremochi joins the princess at a maple picnic. Drinking sake he falls asleep and the princess turns in to a demon. This dish depicts the scene where Koremochi discovered the truth that the princess was in fact the demon.

For similar examples in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection, see: Oliver Impey and Malcolm Fairley eds.,
Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Japanese Art, Metalwork Part I, (London, 1995), cat. no. 14-19, 21, 23.