ITO TOZAN I (1846-1920)

KORO AU JEUNE GARÇON BOUVIER ASSIS SUR LE DOS D'UN TAUREAU ET LISANT UN LIVRE JAPON, 1919, SIGNE Le taureau debout sur ses quatre pattes portant selle, une jeune garcon perche sur son dos; rehausse d'emaux noir, bleu et marron. Marque au dessous. Tomobako en bois, emballage et facture originales. La figure du garcon bouvier est un theme classique tire du mythe de l'amour impossible de la fileuse et du berger. Le garcon lit tranquillement en attendant la prochaine rencontre annuelle de sa bien-aimee. Cette oeuvre est a rapprocher d'un autre garcon bouvier execute par CHIN Jukan et reproduit a la page 150 du catalogue de l'exposition retrospective organisee a Paris en 2010. FINE SATSUMA KORO MODELLED AS A COWHEARD READING A BOOK ON THE BACK OF AN OX JAPAN, 1919, SIGNED The ox standing four-square feet with a saddle, a young cowherd reading a book perched on its back; finely painted in black, brown and blue enamels. Sealed with artist's and teishitsu gigei'in seals. Together with its original wood tomobako, cardboard box and invoice. The figure of the young cowherd ridding an ox is one of the most popular motifs in oriental sculptures and relates to the story of the herd boy and the weaving maiden. The young boy is depicted while waiting patiently for the next appointed day with her beloved to arrive. Another example of this subject by CHIN Jukan is to be found at page 150 in the catalog of the retrospective exhibition held in Paris in 2010. Publication: LAWRENCE, Louis. Satsuma The Romance of Japan. Morven Gray / Meiji Satsuma Publications: California, USA, November 2011, p. 170. On joint un des 300 exemplaires de l'edition limitee du livre, signe et numerote