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AN IMPORTANT SOFT-METAL-INLAID SHIBUICHI AND LACQUER BOX AND COVER MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY), SIGNED KATSUHIRO (KAGAWA KATSUHIRO; 1853-1917) AND SEALED IN GILT EIRAKU The rectangular box with bracket feet, the lid of shibuichi finely chiseled and inlaid in gold, silver and shibuichi with two egrets in a marsh on top and the reflection of the moon on underside, the exterior of the box covered in black-lacquered shagreen skin, the interior and base with fine nashiji, signature and seal on top 4 3/8 x 6 1/8 x 2 ? in. (11 x 15.5 x 6.5 cm.) With original wood box titled Banshu seiryu ni asobu sagi (Egrets and marsh in late autumn), signed Kagawa Katsuhiro saku (made by Kagawa Katsuhiro), also with accompanied document signed by Kagawa Katsukiyo (1894-1967)
An Edo (later Tokyo) native, Katsuhiro apprenticed as a boy to a carver of Noh masks before studying drawing under Shibata Zeshin and metalworking under Nomura Katsumori and the eminent Kano Natsuo. A frequent participant in national and international exhibitions, he was appointed a professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1903. Like his mentor Natsuo, Katsuhiro joined the elite membership of Teishitsu Gigeiin (Artists to the Imperial Household) in 1906, insuring him important commissions, exposure and recognition. Katsuhiro is especially known as a master of katakiri-bori technique (sculpting with oblique cuts of the chisel in simulation of brush strokes) showing extremely delicate lines and graceful figures on this work.
The present work was exhibited at the Japan-British Exhibition in 1910 and won a gold prize. According to the accompanying document dated 1936, the greatest craftsmen of the day were involved in the present work, naming Tomioka Fumitaro as working on the black-lacquered shagreen exterior of the box, and Kawanobe Itcho (1831-1910) who lacquered the nashiji ground of interior of the box. Apprenticed to the eminent Komai Family of lacquers, Itcho was highly skilled at traditional lacquer techniques and he was appointed an Imperial Household Artist (Teishitsu gigeiin) in 1896.
This important work was made under the supervision of Katsuhiro in order to showcase the excellence of Meiji period metalwork and lacquer work achieved by the great artists of the day.