Collection of Kanamori Sowa (1584-1657), accoꦿrding to the box inscriptions.

Osaka Bijustu Club, 7th March 1931, lot 235.

A Japanese private collection, acquired since the early 2𝕴000s.

金森宗和（1584-1656年）舊藏（據盒上標籤）

大阪美術倶楽部，1931年3月7日，編號235

日本私人收藏，自2000年代初

The newly established Song dynasty and subsequent changes in the distribution of wealth and resources, birthed a re✤newed discovery of the beauty of nature. This fresh aesthetic celebrated ideals of classical beauty, creating the Song dynasty lacquerware, which evoked an understated elegance and sense of perfection.

The Song rule aimed to revive romanticised concepts of antiquity based on Confucian Han ideals, while also trying to establish an identity that deviated from the Tang. Thus, the Song scholar-elite promoted commercial liberalism, which granted much more freedom to the activities of merchants, brokers, a🍌nd landowners. The capital became a vibrant urban hub, and a wealthy upper class was formed. Because silver had become the Song currency of payment, hence less available, and goldware was restricted to the court, the development of exquisite materials such as lacquer flourished.

Symbolising longevity and fulfilling life, the mallow flower was one of the most popular forms of lacquerware during the 10th to 14th centuries. Many of these pieces were made with wood cores in the laborious quandie method, or with a lacquer-stiffened textile core. These methods allowed craftsmen to create complex lobed shapes and gave the wares a weightless quality. See two slightly🍒 smaller examples from the collection of Sakamoto Gorō, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2013, lots 142 and 147; and another example of similar size from the collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2022, lot 18.

Kanamori Sowa (1584-1656) was a tea connoisseur of the early Edo Period and established the famed Sowa School, which is known for grace and elegance and with many followers among the aristocracy. Disinherited by his father, the feudal lord Kanamori Arishige, Sowa&nb🎃sp;moved to Kyoto and later on became a Zen priest. In Kyoto, he befriended many court nobles, Buddhist monks, samurai and tea masters like Konoe Nobuhiro, Ichijo Akiyoshi, Kobori Enshu and Katagiri Sekishu. He also discovered the Kyoto potter, Nonomura Ninsei. The Sowa-ryu tea ceremony offered a new artistic expression and appreciation of the art of tea and is still being performed today.

宋代漆作，內斂優雅而精純完美，體現遞嬗ꦯ時空雋永的經典美感。此類器物代表之新式審美，製於宋代乍立之時，因權富分配之改變，以及對於自然之美的重新理解而生。為建立異於唐朝國情，而復興以漢代儒道為基礎之古學遺風，宋代學者文人倡導自由貿易，給予商業活動更多空間，國都亦成繁華都會。來自國土四方之大量商販，形成社會上一富裕階層，使得更多人能享用過去僅限於朝貴之特權與奢華。然白銀作為宋代貨幣，供不應求，金器又限用於宮廷，因♑此造就漆藝發展，不僅滿足日常之需，並符合上層社會對於美的追尋及文雅品味。

葵花式漆器，十至🍌十四世🍸紀時流行。多數素漆器以圈疊技法（薄木片屈成器形，並相互膠疊）作木胎，或裱糊麻布為夾紵胎。後者可作較為複雜花式，並使成器輕似鴻毛。錦葵象徵長壽、豐盛。參考坂本五郎舊藏兩例，尺寸略小，售於香港蘇富比2013年10月8日，編號142及147；以及何鴻卿爵士珍藏例，尺寸相略，售於香港蘇富比2012年10月8日，編號18。

金森宗和（1584-1656年）乃江戶時代茶藝大師及禪僧，為著名「宗和流」茶道流派的創始人，其茶派備受京都權貴寵愛，茶風以柔和優雅著稱，具有「美人宗和」雅名。金森氏與近衛信🐷尋、一條昭良、小堀遠州、片桐貞昌等一眾茶藝大師友好，且獨具慧眼，親自指導野野村仁清，助其成為一代陶藝大師。「宗和流」茶派開拓了獨樹一格的茶道藝術和鑒賞方式，現今仍廣為流傳。