77 - KANO NATSUO: A SUPERB AND LARGE SHIBUICHI AND 18K GOLD ‘MOUNT FUJI’ TSUBA, DATED 1860

KANO NATSUO: A SUPERB AND LARGE SHIBUICHI AND 18K GOLD ‘MOUNT FUJI’ TSUBA, DATED 1860 By Kano Natsuo (1828–1898), signed Koshin kishu Natsuo Japan, dated 1860, late Edo period (1615-1868) Of elegant tatemarugata form, with one kogai hitsu ana, the finely polished shibuichi migakiji ground masterfully engraved in delicate katakiribori and kebori, depicting a tranquil view of Mount Fuji rising majestically above a broad expanse of water. The mountain's snow-capped summit emerges from drifting clouds, its gently descending slopes articulated by fine, sweeping chisel strokes, while a solitary sailboat glides across the water below. Delicate reeds and distant shorelines complete the remarkably atmospheric composition. The reverse is equally finely worked with three cranes in flight above the spreading branches of a pine tree. The mimi and kogai hitsu ana are elegantly lined in 18K gold. Signed KOSHIN KISHU NATSUO [Natsuo, late autumn of the cyclical year Koshin, corresponding to 1860]. HEIGHT 9.5 cm, WIDTH 8.9 cm HEIGHT 2.7 cm (nakago-ana) THICKNESS 0.5 cm (seppa-dai) WEIGHT 246.9 g Provenance: Sotheby's, Japanese Works of Art, 13 December 1972, London, lot 187. The collection of Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (1908-1979), acquired from the above. Christie's, Japanese and Korean Art, 29 March 2005, New York, lot 161. From the private collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, New York, United States, acquired from the above. Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (1908-1979) was an influential American politician, art collector, and philanthropist who served as Governor of New York from 1959 to 1973 and Vice President of the United States from 1974 to 1977. A passionate collector and patron of the arts, he played an important role in the development of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and founded the Museum of Primitive Art in 1954. Alan Hartman (1930-2023) was a prominent American art dealer and founder of the celebrated Rare Art Gallery on Madison Avenue, New York. Together with his wife Simone (née Horowitz), he assembled an important collection of Asian art over more than five decades. The couple were generous benefactors of major American museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which inaugurated the Alan and Simone Hartman Galleries in 2013. Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear. With a padded storage box. An outstanding example of the painterly qualities for which Kano Natsuo became celebrated, the present tsuba transforms a simple landscape into a composition of remarkable depth and refinement. Through the subtle variation of his chisel strokes, the artist evokes the monumental stillness of Mount Fuji, contrasted with the delicate movement of a solitary sailboat upon the water. The reverse, depicting cranes above a pine tree, introduces two traditional symbols of longevity, complementing the enduring and sacred presence of the mountain. Particularly noteworthy is the inscription dating the work to 1860, placing its execution during Natsuo's Edo-period career, before his appointment as an Imperial Household Artist in 1890. Kano Natsuo (1828-1898) was one of the most celebrated Japanese metalworkers of the 19th century, renowned for his exceptional mastery of katakiribori, a demanding engraving technique capable of reproducing the expressive qualities of brush painting in metal. Born in Kyoto, he studied metalworking and painting before establishing himself in Edo in 1854. His refined naturalistic designs and technical virtuosity brought him widespread acclaim. In 1889, he became a professor at the newly established Tokyo School of Fine Arts, where he helped preserve and advance Japan's distinguished metalworking traditions. The following year, he was appointed an Imperial Household Artist (Teishitsu Gigeiin), one of the highest distinctions bestowed upon Japanese craftsmen. Museum comparison: Compare a related iron tsuba depicting white plum blossoms by Kano Natsuo, signed Natsuo and dated 1861, similarly distinguished by its refined naturalistic carving, measuring 7.4 × 6.6 cm, in the Tokyo National Museum, accession no. F-19904.