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Ivory Trade Store -- JAPANESE IVORY SCULPTURE

Japanese sculpture originates back to around 500 BC with the spread of Buddhism and drew its influences from Chinese and Korean artists.

Buddha and other divinities were carved in wood and stone and there was a growing need for all sizes along with the flourishing temple building activity that marked the period.

Since we are here to discuss ivory, we will jump over to the Edo period (1615-1867) - in the years leading to that time, sculpture technics, style and sizes hardly changed.

The Edo period marks the beginning of a new middle class in Japan - the changes in social structure marked changes in clothing and accessories and the development of small sculpture.

The pocket-less Kimono caused a flourish in the making of Sagamono such as a pipe, tobacco pouch, medicine case, wallet (Inro) and the Netsuke - all were tied to the Kimono belt (Obi).

The netsukes were carved mainly from wood or ivory and had 2 holes (Himotochi) for threading the silk string tied to the belt.

The simple button (Netsuke) evolved into mature and exquisite works of art, done with unprecedented precision, finish and artistic concept.

Close the later parts of the period, schools, with distinctive styles and grand masters evolved - some of the great names were TOMIHARU (1723-1811) from Iwami (specialized in carving boars tusks abundant on the island), MITSUHIRO (1810-1875) from Osaka, HIDEMASA (1810-1840) and TOMOTADA from Kyoto, MASANAO (1815-1890) FROM Ise and TOMOCHIKA from Tokyo.

The Meiji era (1868-1912) under emperor MUTSUHITO, marks a new form of government where all power was given to the emperor and the power was taken from the Shogun of that time (YOSHINOBU) and the feudal warrior class of the Samurai was aboloished - Japan was starting to shape according to western principals and stepped into the modern age.

At that time, the art of carving ivory also reached its peak with the development of the Okimono (object for presentation)

The Okimono developed from the art of carving Netsuke - Netsuke carving from all schools around Japan reached its peak in the Edo period but was stopped in the Meiji era since the traditional Kimono and Obi were gone from the street and Japanese people dressed in western style - many great Netsuke artists turned to carving Okimono which were more accepted in the west. The great art academies in the big cities taught young artists how to paint and sculpture to suit the European taste while retaining the Japanese precision, elegance and simplicity.

The only important stylistic trend or School in Okimono carving is the Tokyo school from the art academy called TOKYO BUJITSU GAKKO - characterized with relatively large carvings 6-15" (15-40 cm) that were always made from one piece of ivory, retaining the natural ivory color which was perfectly polished.

There were many others centers of carving larger objects in ivory, all over Japan, all following the ‘boom’ in artistic expression creating many types of carvings from single or multiple pieces put together - a fine Okimono sometimes took up to 3 years to complete until the artist was satisfied with the end result - many pieces found today on the market are of mediocre or poor quality but the good Okimono of the period are delightful works of art that can take Your breath away with their perfect proportions and creativity.

CLASSIC FORMS AND SUBJECT MATTERS.

INTRODUCTION. The Shichifukujin ??? are an eclectic group of deities from Japan, India, and China. Only one is native to Japan (Ebisu) and Japan's indigenous Shinto tradition. Three are from the Hindu-Buddhist pantheon of India (Daikokuten, Bishamonten, and Benzaiten) and three from Chinese Taoist-Buddhist traditions (Hotei, Juroujin, and Fukurokuju). In Japan, they travel together on their treasure ship (takara bune ??) and dispense happiness to believers. Each deity existed independently before Japan's "artificial" creation of the group in the 17th century. Images of the seven appear with great frequency in modern Japan, and the most common ordering is: Ebisu, Daikoku, Benzai, Hotei, Fukurokuju, Juroujin, Bishamonten. Each deity is presented briefly below.

SEVEN VIRTUES. Says the Flammarion Iconographic Guide: This popular group of deities recalls "the seven wise men of the bamboo thicket" or the "seven wise men of the wine cup" whose images are popular in China. The Japanese group was artificially created in the 17th century by the monk Tenkai (who died in 1643 and was posthumously named Jigen Daishi), who wanted to symbolize the essential virtues of the man of his time for the Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu (1623-1650 AD).

The seven virtues are:

Name & Origin Function

Associations:

Ebisu: Japan Shinto Name: Kotoshiro- nushi-no-kami.
God of Fishermen, Good Forture, Commerce, and Honest Labor

Virtue = Candour Fish (tai or sea bream, red snapper), which symbolizes luck and congratulation (Japanese word for joyous is omede-tai); fishing rod in right hand; folding fan in other; grants success to people in their chosen occupations; son of Daikoku; could he be considered the Mercury or Hermes of Japan Daikikuten: India Mahakala, Introduced to Japan in the 9th century AD God of Earth, Wealth, Prosperity, Farmers, Flood and Control The Kitchen

Member of TENBU, his Virtue = Fortune

God of five cereals; rice bales; treasure sack (bag); magic mallet in right hand; sometimes wears hood; rat (found around food); often shown with Ebisu, his son; merged with Shinto deity of good harvests, Okuninushi no Mikoto

Benzaiten: India Sarasvati
Goddess of Music, Fine Arts
Eloquence, Literature

TENBU Virtue = Amiability

Japanese mandolin, lute, majic jewel, snake, sea dragon. Only female among the seven. Member of the TENBU grouping.

Chinese Sage Budaishi (Jp. = Fuudaishiten)

God of Contentment and Happiness

Virtue = Magnanimity

Bag of food and treasure that never empties; oogi (fan), small children at his feet; supposedly only member of seven based on actual person; known as the Laughing Buddha; rubbing his stomach is said to bring good luck; incarnation of Bodhisattva Maitreya (Jp. = Miroku).

Fukurokuju
China

Taoist Hermit Sage

God of Wisdom, Longevity, Verility, Fertility

Virtue = Popularity

Huge elongated head; long white beard, cane with sutra scroll, drinking gourd, crane, deer, stag, tortoise (symbol of longevity); scroll said to contain all the wisdom in the world; said to inhabit same body as Jurojin

Juroujin
China
Identified with Chinese Sage Laozi (Jp. = Roujinseishi)

God of Longevity

Virtue = Longevity

Long white beard, holy staff and scroll, tortoise, deer, stag, crane; in same body as Fukurokuju; scroll said to hold the secret to longevity; sometimes carries a drinking vessel, as he reportedly loves rice wine (sake)

Bishamonten
India
Tamonten
Shitenno

God of Treasure
God of War
God of Warriors
Skt. Vaisravana
Member TENBU
Virtue = Dignity

Wears armor, carries spear and pagoda of treasures; pigeon is messenger; Vaisravana in Sanskrit; also Tamonten, one of the Shitenno and TENBU

Santen

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