The relation (?) between Nishigaki, Hayashi and Akasaka

[Lorenzo]

Hello.

 

I wonder what relation there is between some Higo schools and some Akasaka work.

 

Hayashi tsuba:

 

 

Nishigaki:

 

 

Akasaka Tadayoshi:

 

 

In this particular case we have akasaka tagane mei, and 3 layers construction. Apart for that, I think the style is very similar; why? When does this schools (if ever) got in touch? Is it true that Akasaka may be born from a higo master?

 

Apologize if it has already been discussed before.

[Ford Hallam]

Broadly speaking it would appear that Akasaka was influenced by Owari, at least the earliest masters were. The Higo versions seem to be made in imitation of the Akasaka works. The Akaska group operated in the area of Tokyo now Kanda and it's believed many examples of their work were carried back to the provinces by warriors who had been serving time in the capital as part of the Sankinkotai system.

[Lorenzo]

Thank you Ford, it makes sense.

 

This is what Aoi Art has to say regarding the relation;

 

The founder of Akasaka school started early Edo period at Akasaka in Edo province.

Probable the origin of Akasaka school was Higo or Owari. [...]

The most famous Tsuba is called Yagyu Tsuba which was made like piling up the iron layers.

Akasaka Tsuba also introduced such kind of technique from late Muromachi period.

 

I think we may get the chance to investigate further and clear this up? :?

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Lorenzo and Ford...

 

I suppose it is possible that the explanation is as Ford describes. However, I frankly wonder if it is not the reverse: due to the sankinkotai requirement, Higo works were brought to Edo, where Akasaka tsubako were exposed to their designs. When we look at the earliest Akasaka guards (including "proto-Akasaka" Owari tsuba, as well as the earliest "ko-Akasaka" work), the sorts of designs and treatments we might confuse with Higo works are not common, if they're present at all. Only in somewhat later Akasaka tsuba do we frequently see the sorts of designs also seen in Nishigaki Kanshiro and Hayashi Matashichi work. These designs are rather significant departures from what is seen in the earliest Akasaka pieces, and if it is accurate (and I think it is) to see Akasaka tsuba originating out of an Owari tradition, such designs as we see rendered in even the later part of ko-Akasaka tsuba production would seem unlikely to be "sourced" back to Owari sensibilities. On the other hand, the fluid designs we see made by Nishigaki and Matashichi fit relatively seamlessly into their wider oeuvre, especially in the case of Matashichi.

 

Both groups, though, were so original in their motifs and designs that it's hard (for me, at least) to be sure about which came first here, the chicken or the egg...

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[John A Stuart]

I thought it had been already established in most sources that Owari tsubako from Kyoto migrated to Edo in the 17th cent. The only problem is determining who was the true progenitor of the Akasaka school. John

[ububob]

My understandinmg to date is similar to John's based on remarks in both of Sasano's books and the Akasaka School book published by the Sano Art Museum. Stay tuned, there has got to be more information out there somewhere...

[Lorenzo]

I should amend my original post. I was concentrating only on one kind of design so my question was rather general and meaningless.

Let's reformulate .

 

Akasaka school origin should be from owari, ok.

Akasaka shows a wide range of designs, often easy to identify, except the one I posted on my first post.

 

At a certain point of the history, Akasaka diverged from it's "standards" and started making this kind of tsuba with waved mimi transforming into pine tree or ume branch, among other usual Akasaka designs.

While it's true that this style can be found on both Higo and Akasaka pieces, in my experience statistically speaking when you look at this style you are most likely watching an Higo piece.

This style is very peculiar, a bit like Umetada flush inlay; The use of the framing is brilliant, and the drawing has thousand variations but the idea is always the same.

I would like to understand if the father of the style is more likely identifiable in Higo or in Akasaka, it would be a pleasure to be able to identify this style with the name of the artist who gave birth to it.

 

Lorenzo

 

PS: as usual, sorry for my EngRish

[Ford Hallam]

Steve

 

I think, on consideration, that it does in fact seem more likely that the Higo/Akasaka influence was more from Higo than the other way round. This is just a gut feeling and Lorenzo outlines this theory fairly well I think. Definitely well worth investigating this idea further.

[Lorenzo]

I was waiting for others to get in as I don't like to copy and paste other opinions, but before the topic gets lost in time here is what a friend of mine sent me via email:

 

http://www.shibuiswords.com/higokinaiechizen.htm

 

Quote from the above link, regarding Akasaka:

 

This school is said to have originated in the shop of a dealer, named Karigane Hikobei, who lived in the seventeenth century, at first in Kyoto. Under his strict surveillance Tadamasa I, a skilled metal worker, produced tsuba which were suggestive of the Heianjo sukashi guards. Hikobei, being a severe critic and himself a designer, is reported to have destroyed all pieces made in his studio which did not come up to his standard of excellence, thus maintaining a high quality, which has given these tsuba an enviable reputation.

The name Akasaka comes from a district in Yedo whither Hikobei moved when the shogun's capital became the gathering place for many artists. There the dealer founded a distinct school among whose members were Tadamasa I, II, and Masatora as well as five men, by the name of Tadatoki. The first three of these Akasaka masters did not sign their tsuba and worked in the Heianjo style. From 1 akatoki I on, the artists of this family were strongly influenced by the Kasuga and Nishigaki schools of Higo

 

 

Now, Nishigaki Kanshiro (1613-1693) was student of Hirata Hikozo, but his style and influence was more from Hayashi Matashichi, as well as Kanshiro nidai (1639-1717). I do feel that the above posted tsuba desing comes from Nishigaki shodai and was later perfected by the nidai.

 

Shodai:

 

 

Nidai:

 

 

To have a confirmation, would be enough to understand if there are earlier example of the above design from other masters.

 

Regards,

Lorenzo

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Lorenzo,

 

I am inclined to agree with you here. I do feel that these particular designs are Higo in origin, and more specifically, Kanshiro or Hayashi. I'm still not sure if I see the creator as more likely Nishigaki (shodai) or Hayashi Matashichi, but on some gut level I find myself leaning toward Matashichi; somehow, I see these particular types of tsuba as coming out of the Matashichi sensibility of aesthetics and design a bit more than I do arising out of Nishigaki's.

 

One other intriguing possibility to consider is whether or not the design is neither Nishigaki's nor Matashichi's, but is instead the brainchild of Hosokawa Sansai. As the Daimyo of Higo, he is famous for not only his deep involvement with the arts, but specifically for sponsoring the superb " four schools" of Higo tsubako: Hirata Hikozo, Shimizu Jinbei (shodai Jingo), Nishigaki Kanshiro, and Hayashi Matashichi. His sponsorship was quite "hands-on," which is to say that he had direct involvement with these tsubako. It is thought by some that Sansai even made a few tsuba himself, with the guidance of one or more of the four masters.

 

In any case, I do not see the design in question to be an original Akasaka creation, nor am I aware of any other school, tradition, artist, or region that produced this design prior to the early Edo Period.

 

Oh, and it should be said that the story of Karigane Hikobei is apocryphal. As others here have noted, the prevailing theory of Akasaka origins, I believe, is that the earliest Akasaka tsubako came to Edo from the Owari region... At least, this is my understanding...

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Lorenzo]

Steven, you may be well right there.

 

I blame myself for not having saved enough yet to buy the Ito san's encyclopaedia... until then I feel like I am just inventing things, which is not helping.

 

 

Oh, and it should be said that the story of Karigane Hikobei is apocryphal. As others here have noted, the prevailing theory of Akasaka origins, I believe, is that the earliest Akasaka tsubako came to Edo from the Owari region... At least, this is my understanding...

 

Me too. But I must admit the article I linked is the only place where I see mention of the link between some Akasaka master and Higo.

 

L

[Jean]

On the same design, 2 tsuba I got from Fine Sword, years ago

[Soshin]

Oh, and it should be said that the story of Karigane Hikobei is apocryphal. As others here have noted, the prevailing theory of Akasaka origins, I believe, is that the earliest Akasaka tsubako came to Edo from the Owari region... At least, this is my understanding...

I am of the opinion that early Akasaka (Ko-Akasaka) tsuba were influenced also by the Kyo-Sukashi as stated in the article as well as the Owari Sukashi school. The article quoted above has much of the same information that I remember reading in Tsuba An Aesthetic Study by Kazutaro Torigoye and Robert E. Haynes on the origins of the Akasaka school. The book also present an alternative theory that the school's origin lies in Owari Province. Thanks everyone for the interesting discussion.

The only thing I do know is that all of the schools we are talking about were influenced by one of my favorite early schools the Ko-Shoami school. :D

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S.

[Steve Waszak]

Actually, there is a rather interesting article by Matsumoto Seiji in Art and the Sword, Volume 3 (1990) which makes a rather convincing case, I think, for the Owari origins of (ko-)Akasaka tsuba. I personally doubt their having much in the way of Kyoto origins, as the early Akasaka work tends to be much less lyrical than it became (especially with the Higo influence... ) later in the 17th century. Early Akasaka work is more reminiscent to me of the boldness and vigor of Owari sukashi tsuba than it is of the filigree and "gentle" Kyo-sukashi work.

 

As to the notion that the ko-Shoami influenced all the "schools" we're discussing here, I'm not sure I see this, especially as concerns Owari sukashi. I think it's more the other way around in this case, with the ko-Shoami becoming a bit more robust (moving away from the delicacy of Kyo-sukashi) due, perhaps, to the influence of Owari sukashi designs and production methods. Of course, our understanding---and our conjecture---is limited by the lack of certainty we have of the dates involved. It would be helpful if we knew exactly when these "schools" and traditions sprouted and flowered, how much interaction Owari Province had with Kyoto in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, etc... Given that ko-Shoami are seen by many as a "middle ground" between the strength of Owari sukashi and the gracefulness of Kyo-sukashi, however, it makes more sense to me to see ko-Shoami work as being more influenced by Owari than the reverse.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Soshin]

Hi Steve,

 

That's likely true in regards to the correct interaction pattern of Owari Sukashi, Akasaka, and Ko-Shoami schools. But my general comment which I should have qualified better is the influence that Ko-Shoami had on the Higo schools such as Nishigaki and Hayashi. The idea of Owari Sukashi influencing Ko-Shoami and then Ko-Shoami then subsequently influencing some of the early Higo schools a interesting one. I have read in about two different books about influence of Ko-Shoami on some of the early Higo schools. Sasano in this first book classified Higo kinko schools into two different groups. The first group which had a Shoami (i.e. Ko-Shoami) influence included the Hirata and Nishigaki. The other group of schools had a Owari influence which included the Hayashi and Kamiyoshi. Keep in mind that Kamiyoshi school developed from the Hayashi school but share the same base Owari influence.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S.

[Steve Waszak]

Hi David,

 

I see. I hadn't realized you were referencing only the Higo schools. In that case, yes, the ko-Shoami influence on some Higo artists would be there, I think, yes. However, remember, too, that the Kamiyoshi developed LONG after the Owari sukashi heyday was over (by the first few decades of the Edo Period). By 1700 if not considerably earlier, any "Owari" tsuba still being made were at best derivative copies of earlier Owari tsuba from a century earlier. So any real "influence" of Owari sukashi on Kamiyoshi was WELL removed by the time the latter group gets started, by some two hundred years, actually. It was really the Hayashi that influenced the Kamiyoshi, the Hayashi (perhaps) having had Owari connections.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Soshin]

Steve,

 

You are right the influence of Owari Sukashi school is only secondly at best on the later Higo school of Kamiyoshi. Sasano was pointing out the influcence of Owari Sukashi school primary on the early Hayashi Higo school. I am aware of the fact the Owari Sukashi was nearing its end by the Genroku Era of Edo Period. Thanks for the interesting and educational discussion. :D

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S.