80 - A FINE RINSENDO SCHOOL SHIBUICHI ‘CROWS BENEATH THE FULL MOON’ KOZUKA

A FINE RINSENDO SCHOOL SHIBUICHI ‘CROWS BENEATH THE FULL MOON’ KOZUKA School of Rinsendo Mitsumasa (1721-1777), signed Rinsendo with seal Mitsumasa Japan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615–1868) The polished shibuichi migakiji ground exquisitely decorated in shakudo, silver, and gold hirazogan, with fine katakiribori engraving, depicting three crows perched on the bare branches of a tree beneath a luminous full moon, with a gently flowing stream below. The dark silhouettes of the birds and the delicately engraved branches contrast beautifully with the silver moon and lustrous gray ground, evoking the atmospheric qualities of Japanese ink painting. Signed RINSENDO and sealed MITSUMASA. LENGTH 9.7 cm WEIGHT 27.9 g Provenance: From the private collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, New York, United States. Alan Hartman (1930–2023) was a prominent American art dealer who established the renowned Rare Art Gallery on Madison Avenue, with further locations in Dallas and Palm Beach. Together with his wife Simone (née Horowitz), he assembled an important and diverse collection over more than half a century, particularly distinguished by Japanese netsuke, inro, lacquer, and sword fittings. The couple were also generous patrons 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. The evocative moonlit composition is a fine example of the Rinsendo school's mastery of sumi-zogan, a distinctive technique that translates the expressive qualities of monochrome ink painting into metalwork. The silhouettes of the crows, rendered in dark shakudo against the soft gray shibuichi ground and luminous silver moon, create a striking interplay of light and shadow. The restrained use of katakiribori further evokes the spontaneous brushstrokes of traditional ink painting, lending the scene remarkable delicacy and atmosphere. Rinsendo Mitsumasa (1721-1777), also known as Tsuji Mitsumasa, is listed in Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, pp. 1071-1072 (H 05268.0). Originally trained as a gunsmith in Kunitomo, Omi Province, he subsequently studied the style of the second Yokoya Soyo and was influenced by the Nara school. He developed a highly individual manner distinguished by painterly engraving and the sophisticated use of sumi-zogan, which became characteristic of the school established by his followers. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related Rinsendo School kozuka with crows, at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art, 15 May 2012, London, lot 86 (sold for GBP 2,375 or approx. EUR 4,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).