Kogai: Wave and Rabbit Design, Mumei

寸法

全長20.8センチ　幅10.9ミリ

Accessories

桐箱

Weight

重さ34.6グラム

As written by the shop

Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors · Show original

Nami-usagi is a subject that has been popular since ancient times, combining rolling waves with dynamic rabbits; by juxtaposing the soft form of the rabbit with powerful surges, it brings together stillness and motion, elegance and vitality into a single composition. The image of a rabbit advancing across the waves evokes the power to leap forward or overcome difficulties, and while the combination is reminiscent of the White Rabbit of Inaba, this work does not depict the sharks or Okuninushi no Mikoto that would identify the story, so it is appropriate to view it as a dignified Nami-usagi-zu focused on the rabbit itself racing through the waves rather than a specific narrative scene. This work is a wari-kogai that splits into two pieces, based on a warm suakado-ji; on the sashi-omote side, multiple layers of kebori represent the surging waves, and in the center, a rabbit is set in high relief with kin-iroe applied. The rabbit is captured in the moment it leaps into the waves with its front legs extended, and by applying fine tagane work to the ears, eyes, fur, and tips of the legs, a clear expression and sense of dynamism are given even within its small form, while silver splashes scattered around connect the golden rabbit and the suakado-ji, creating a gorgeous scene like light scattering on the crests of the waves. Particularly eye-catching is the construction where the mimikaki side is joined diagonally with deep black shakudo; rather than simply switching different metals with a straight line, the joining line is slanted to follow the flow of the waves, incorporating the seam of the materials itself into the design. The four tones of the jet-black shakudo, the soft reddish hue of the suakado, the gold of the rabbit, and the silver of the splashes resonate perfectly on the slender kogai, and because the neat blackness of the mimikaki tightens the composition, the golden rabbit stands out vividly from the front, while from an angle, one can three-dimensionally appreciate the volume of the takabori, the undulations of the wave carving, and the sophisticated work of joining the metals. When the two pieces are joined, the surges continue across the central seam, showing a cohesive composition as a single kogai, but when the left and right are separated, different expressions of the waves appear on each, allowing one to simultaneously enjoy the structural and decorative ingenuity unique to the wari-kogai. The calm koshoku remaining on the front and back and the changes in tone here and there provide the character unique to suakado-ji that has passed through many years, adding a depth not found in uniform newness while further highlighting the blackness of the shakudo and the kin-gin iroe. The relaxed form with a total length of 20.8 cm is neat when displayed, and the flow of the waves guides the eye along the slender silhouette, creating a composition where attention naturally gathers on the central rabbit. The precise carving and selective use of irogane, thought to be a work from the middle to late Edo period, are combined with the relatively rare format of the wari-kogai and a sophisticated sense that sublimates the boundary of materials into a highlight by joining the shakudo diagonally; it is a highly charming work that combines an adorable subject with solid technique, allowing for the appreciation of dignified color contrasts from a distance and the individual kebori and gold and silver craftsmanship up close.