Stacked Writing Box with Chrysanthemum and Plume Grass (detail), 1910s Maki-e gold lacquer on wood; silver rims and gold pins Size 3¼ x 9¼ x 5¼ in. (8.5 x 23 x 13 cm)
Golden Treasures: Japanese Lacquer Boxes, is the new online exhibition at Thomsen Gallery and includes 24 lacquer works dating from the 18th century to the present day, on view from now until January 30, 2021.
All of the works are examples of maki-e, which translates to “sprinkled pictures” and refers to the technique of sprinkling powders of gold and silver onto wet lacquer, a distinctly Japanese tradition that first developed in the Heian period (794–1185). In maki-e works, the luminous characteristic of natural lacquer, which gives the impression of capturing and retaining light, is augmented by the brilliance of gold powders and flakes in the brightly polished surfaces.
The exhibition is also on view in the gallery, which is open by appointment only.
GOTO Hideki 後藤秀樹(1973- ) Gray Shino Guinomi No.3 鼠志野貝盃, 2020 H2.3” x W4.1” x D3.1”, H6 x W10.5 x D8cm Stoneware With Signed Wood Box
A new exhibition, Finding Moments of Tranquility is on view until December 22nd at Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd. Comprising a selection of ceramics by various artists including Matsutani Fumio, Shingu Sayaka, Tanaka Tetsuya, Kim Hono, Goto Hideki, Kato Hirotaka among others, the show’s special purpose is to bring beauty and tranquility and the excitement of artful expression to viewers during these trying times.
An Emerald and Enamel Gold Ring, Jaipur 19th Century
Susan Ollemans has published an online winter catalogue of her current collection. Comprising over 40 pieces of Asian jewelry and jades dating from the 9th to the 19th century, the selection from India includes a number of jade accoutrements, several miniature portraits and jewelry ranging from bracelets and earrings to pendants and necklaces. Rings, earrings and necklaces from Southeast Asia form another significant group, which is rounded out by earrings and a jade plaque from China.
Property from the Estate of a Lady A Huanghuali Trestle-Leg Table 19th century Estimate: $20,000 – 40,000
Christie’s New York is now holding two online sales (18 November to 9 December). The first, Art of China Winter Edition showcases archaic jade carvings and early Chinese art from the Florence and Herbert Irving collection, and Ming and Qing ceramics from the Lenora and Walter F. Brown collection and from the Peter Tcherepnine collection. Other highlights include huanghuali furniture and scholar’s objects, jade and hardstone carvings and porcelain and works of art from private American collections.
Property from a Prominent American Private Collection Wang Dongling (b. 1945) Abstract Estimate: $12,000 – 22,000
The second, Chinese Paintings Online: Modern Masters is a selection of paintings and calligraphy from the modern and contemporary periods. Key highlights include C.C. Wang, Wang Dongling and Chen Jialing paintings directly acquired from the artists, complemented by an exquisite selection of works from a Private East Coast Collection.
A group of photographs by Eric Zetterquist, including several new portraits of scholar's rocks, is at the TEMPLE in Beijing until January 13, 2021. Set in a complex of exquisitely restored 300-year-old temple buildings near the Forbidden City, this arts center includes a gallery, tea room, performance spaces and permanent installations by James Turrell and Team Lab.
A pair of wood lion and guardian dogs, Kamakura Period, 13th century; Heights: 43cm and 48cm
Hiroshi Yanagi Oriental Art is holding an online exhibition, entitled DOGGOS! － Inu 犬 in Japanese arts － featuring portrayals of dogs in sculpture and painting from November 20 – December 10. A pair of wood lion and guardian dogs illustrated above are quite commanding.
A Set of Seven Black-lacquer Boxes with Silver and Gold Appliqué China, Western Han dynasty (2nd-1st c. BCE) Lengths range from 4.0 to 15.0 cm. (1 1/2 to 5 7/8 in.) (Courtesy: Kaikodo LLC)
New York: Asia Week New York is pleased to announce that Tales in Conservation: The Application of Science to Asian Art–a live panel discussion featuring world renowned experts–will be held on Thursday, November 18 at 5:00 p.m. EST, 2:00 p.m. PST. This is a one-time opportunity to hear these speakers address issues that are important to collectors.
“Science and conservation are inextricably aligned in the field of Asian art and Asia Week New York is thrilled to bring together this highly qualified group of people to offer their compelling stories and perspectives on the subject,” says Dessa Goddard, U.S. Head, Asian Art Group, Bonhams, and member of the Asia Week New York Planning Committee.
The participants include Leslie Gat, from the Art Conservation Group, Asian and Tribal art dealer Thomas Murray, of his eponymous California gallery, Mary Ann Rogers, founder of Kaikodo LLC, which specializes in Chinese, Japanese and Korean Art, and John Twilley, the highly acclaimed art conservation scientist. Each specialist will discuss specific approaches and scientific techniques in the conservation of ancient objects including gilt bronzes and Indian textiles. Dessa Goddard will moderate the discussion.
Indian chintz transformed fashion, trade and technology Courtesy: Thomas Murray Arts and The Royal Ontario Museum
About Asia Week New York The collaboration of top-tier international Asian art galleries, the six major auction houses, Bonhams, Christie’s, Doyle, Heritage Auctions, iGavel, and Sotheby’s, and numerous museums and Asian cultural institutions, Asia Week New York is a week-long celebration filled with a non-stop schedule of simultaneous gallery open houses, Asian art auctions as well as numerous museum exhibitions, lectures, and special events. Participants from Great Britain, India, Italy, Japan, and the United States unveil an extraordinary array of museum-quality treasures from China, India, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Tibet, Nepal, Japan, and Korea.
Asia Week New York Association, Inc. is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade membership organization registered with the state of New York. For more information visit www.AsiaWeekNewYork.com @asiaweekny #asiaweekny
About Songtsam, Presenting Sponsor Founded by Baima Duoji, in 2000, the Songtsam Group is the only collection of luxury Tibetan-style retreats found across the Tibetan Plateau that offers guests sophisticated elegance, refined design, modern amenities, and unobtrusive service in places of natural beauty and cultural interest. With his long-standing and strong interest in Chinese, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian art, Mr. Baima started collecting art long before he established his first hotel, Songtsam Lodge Shangri-La, which is located next to the famous Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La. Many of the properties across the Tibetan plateau are decorated with Mr. Baima’s personal collection, with each hotel acting as a private art museum. For more information, visit www.songtsam.com.
Watch an excerpt from the Tales in Conservation webinar:
Akiyama Yō (b.1953) Untitled T-198 2019 Unglazed stoneware with rusted iron coating 15 x 27 1/2 x 16 1/8 in.
Joan B Mirviss LTD presents new works by artists Akiyama Yō and Kitamura Junko created for their second joint exhibition at the gallery. The artworks of this Kyoto-based artistic couple are inspired by their teachers who co-founded the Sōdeisha ceramic movement, and both artists are known for conceptually daring works that shake loose traditional ties to functionality.
Considered one of Japan's most important contemporary artists, Akiyama Yō (b. 1953) creates powerful sculptures that look as if they were excavated from the earth's very core. He has won many prestigious prizes in Japan, and his works are in many important collections and museums both in Japan and in the West.
Kitamura Junko (b. 1956) Vessel 20-G 2020 Stoneware with black slip, inlaid with white slip 17 3/8 x 10 1/4 in.
Kitamura Junko (b. 1956) brings a fresh perspective into a field that had long excluded female ceramicists. She covers the elegant curvilinear forms of her sculptures in ethereal geometric patterns with painstaking detail. Featured in American exhibitions focused on Japanese ceramics, Kitamura's works may be found in important museum collections throughout the world.
This exhibition is on view both online at Joan B Mirviss Ltd. and in the gallery by appointment.
Ukiyo-e and Shin-hanga Part III Prints from the George Crawford Collection is now on view online at Joan B Mirviss Ltd.
Utagawa Toyokuni I (1769-1825) A young man and two courtesans, accompanied by a servant, take a stroll beneath the blossoming cherry trees ca. 1788 beni girai-e triptych sheet Inv# 11879
Selected from George Crawford's extremely fine collection, this third group of prints by artists from Utagawa Toyokuni I to Kawase Hasui, provides an insight into the history of this art form and reflects the collector's excellent taste.
The print by Utagawa Toyokuni I is a late 18th century Ukiyo-e triptych while the landscape by Yoshida Hiroshi is a fine example of 20th century Shin-Hanga.
Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) Mt. Betsu of the Tate Mountain Range 1926 Ōban yoko-e Inv# 11360
Shigeki Kitani Oni 1 (Demon 1), 1963 Oil, ink, and paper on canvas 31½ x 39¼ inches
One of our participants, Thomsen Gallery, will be part of TEFAF Online New York 2020, the art fair’s new digital platform. Each exhibitor will present one masterpiece.
Shigeki Kitani (1928-2009) was a leading Japanese avant-garde artist associated for 15 years with the influential Gutai collective.
Kitani's 2015 retrospective exhibition at the Thomsen gallery featured 28 works from the 1950s and early 1960s, many of them never exhibited before, which demonstrated Kitani's mastery of a gritty yet lyrical abstraction. Of the 28 works in the exhibition, 19 were preserved for many years at the Museum of Art and History in Ashiya City, birthplace of Gutai.
A fully illustrated publication, with an essay by the artist's son and his first detailed biography, is available from the gallery.
Ito Shinsui (1898-1972), The Second Collection of Modern Beauties: Snowstorm, 1932, woodblock print (detail)
Japanese prints from The Art of Japan will be on view at the New York Satellite Print Fair for an additional week as the fair has been extended until November 8.
