| Hosono Sozaemon, whose given name was Masamori, was a metalworker active during the Edo period. He specialized in delicate kebori (fine line engraving), depicting scenes of Kyoto, human figures, flowers, and birds. This fuchi-kashira depicts a flock of sparrows flying together. Sparrows have long been familiar birds in Japan, and flocks of sparrows were favored as an auspicious subject symbolizing liveliness and prosperity. Using delicate kebori on a polished shibuichi ground, the artist vividly portrays sparrows in various poses, some flying with their wings spread wide and others huddling together, through fine, sharply engraved lines. Without the use of colored metals, the design relies entirely on the subtle interplay of light and shadow created by the engraving. This is an elegant and charming fuchi-kashira, rich in artistic refinement and natural beauty. The fuchi-kashira passed the NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu shinsa in 1996. |
Search
