Ogawa Harits

Japanese: 小川破笠 - おがわ・はりつ

Year of death: 4th year of Enkyo, 6th year of Enkyo, 3rd year of Enkyo (1747.7.10)
Year of birth: 1663
A lacquer artist from the mid-Edo period. He is said to have been born in Ise (Mie Prefecture) or Edo, but it is unclear. He went by the names Kasao, Ukanshi, and Muchuan, and through his association with Eiichicho and Takarai Kikaku, he also excelled in painting and haiku. Judging from the works he left behind, it appears that Hagasa began lacquer art around the time of the Kyoho era (1716-1736), when he was over 50 years old, making him a unique figure among lacquer artisans, many of whom began their training at a young age. As written in Souken Kisho, which describes decorative techniques from the late Edo period, "Kanshi Hagasa, an Edo native, was skilled. His lacquer art is always made with raku ware, tsuishu, or somekaku, making it a very elegant piece. This should be called another famous family." Hagasa's distinctive feature as a lacquer artist was his bold use of decorative materials that were not part of conventional wisdom. One of his representative works, "Kaizukumon Ryoshi Suzuribako" (Suntory Museum of Art), features shells and gemstones, while "Inromon Shikishibako" (Tokyo National Museum) features lacquer netsuke and agate cords. Hagasa's works may seem unusual in the context of traditional lacquer art, but compared to the trends in painting of the same period, they are by no means unusual. In 1723, Hagasa was invited by Tsugaru Nobuhisa, the fifth lord of Hirosaki Domain, where he was favored and received an endless stream of orders for his works from all over the country. Also, his works did not end as a fleeting flower, but are still highly praised today not only in Japan but also in Western countries. These are proof that his style has universal appeal and can be understood by the general public. Furthermore, while many lacquer craftsmen end their lives unknown, Hagakasa, who wrote names such as "Muchuan Hagakasa" and "Ukanko Kasaou" in prominent places, must be remembered as the first person to bring a strong sense of artistry to the world of early modern lacquer art. <References> "Makie-shi-den/Nuri-shi-den," edited by the Fuzoku Emaki Toshokankai, "Kasaou-zaiku," edited by Kyoto National Museum

(Komatsu Hirohide)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：延享4.6.3(1747.7.10)
生年：寛文3(1663)
江戸中期の漆芸家。出身は伊勢(三重県),あるいは江戸ともいうが明らかではない。笠翁,卯観子,夢中庵などと号し,英一蝶や宝井其角などとの交わりを通じて,絵画や俳諧の道にも長じた。遺された作品からみる限り,破笠が漆芸の道に入ったのは享保(1716～36)のころ,50歳を過ぎてからのことで,幼少のうちから修業を積むケースが多い漆工のなかでは,やはり異色の存在といえよう。江戸後期の装飾技術について述べた『装剣奇賞』に「観子破笠江戸人上手なり。此人の蒔絵には必ず楽焼又は堆朱又は染角などをあしらひ仕立る事,甚だ風流なる物なり。是又一名家といふべし」と記されているように,漆芸家としての破笠の特色は,従来の常識にない装飾材料を大胆に用いる点にあった。代表作のひとつ「貝尽文料紙硯箱」(サントリー美術館蔵)では貝殻や玉石が,そして「印籠文色紙箱」(東京国立博物館蔵)では堆朱の根付や瑪瑙の緒締が画面に嵌装されている。破笠の作品は,伝統的な漆芸の流れからすればいかにも奇を衒ったようにみえるが,同時期の絵画の傾向などと対比してみれば,決して奇というにはあたらない。享保8(1723)年に破笠が弘前藩5代藩主の津軽信寿に招かれて寵遇を受け,諸方からの作品の注文が引きも切らない状態になったのも,また破笠の作品が一時の徒花に終わらず,今日もなお,国内はもとより西欧諸国で大いにもてはやされているのも,その作風が世間一般に通じる普遍性を持っていることの証しといえよう。また,職人として無名のまま生涯を終える漆工が多いなかで,「夢中庵破笠」「卯観子笠翁」などの銘を目立つところに書き込んだ破笠は近世の漆芸界に初めて強烈な作家意識を持ちこんだ人物としても記憶されなくてはならない。<参考文献>風俗絵巻図書刊会会編『蒔絵師伝・塗師伝』,京都国立博物館編『笠翁細工』

(小松大秀)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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