1 - A SUPERB TWO-CASE INLAID LACQUER ‘FISH AMID WATERWEEDS’ INRO, ATTRIBUTED TO NOMURA CHOHEI

A SUPERB TWO-CASE INLAID LACQUER ‘FISH AMID WATERWEEDS’ INRO, ATTRIBUTED TO NOMURA CHOHEI Attributed to Nomura Chohei, unsigned Japan, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Of wide rectangular form and oval section, bearing a lustrous roiro ground, exquisitely decorated in gold takamaki-e and hiramaki-e with luxuriant waterweeds surrounding a large hobo (gurnard) to one side and a tai (sea bream) to the reverse. The gurnard is boldly inlaid in shimmering mother-of-pearl, while the tai is rendered in warm golden-brown horn, the contrasting materials lending each side a distinct character. The scales, fins, and gills are finely engraved, the eyes delicately inlaid, and the surrounding aquatic plants rendered in richly textured gold lacquer, partially overlapping and engulfing the fish to create a sophisticated interplay of surface and relief. The composition is built up through successive layers of roiro ground, hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, inlay, and further raised lacquer applied over the inlays, producing a particularly rich and striking sense of depth. The interior cases are finished with gold fundame rims and the top case fitted with a removable compartment. HEIGHT 6.9 cm, LENGTH 7.3 cm Provenance: From the private collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, New York, United States. Alan Hartman (1930-2023) was an influential American art dealer, who took over his parents’ antique business in Manhattan and established the legendary Rare Art Gallery on Madison Avenue, with further locations in Dallas and Palm Beach. His wife Simone (née Horowitz) already served as assistant manager of the New York gallery before the couple were married in 1975, and together they built a renowned collection for over half a century and became noted art patrons, enriching the collections of important museums including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which opened the Alan and Simone Hartman Galleries in 2013, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Brooklyn Museum in New York. Notably, they assembled an impressive collection of Japanese art, focusing on fine netsuke, inro, and lacquer. Condition: Good condition with minor wear and traces of handling and use, typical minute nibbling to the edges of the cases, a fine hairline crack to the top case, a few small dents and a loss to the top and bottom sections of the inro. Still presenting beautifully. Nomura Chohei(sai) was an important Japanese lacquer artist appointed as an official lacquerer to the shogunate in 1767. His works are often characterized by intricate designs and the inventive use of a variety of materials, including ceramic, lacquer, metal, and mother-of-pearl, recalling in conception the works of Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuo, 1663–1747) and his followers. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related three-case inlaid lacquer inro depicting fish among waterweeds, by Nomura Chohei, signed Seishuken Chohei with seal, at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 10 November 2011, London, lot 80 (sold for GBP 4,750 or approx. EUR 8,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).