Iizuka Touyou

Japanese: 飯塚桃葉 - いいづか・とうよう

Year of birth: Year of birth and death unknown. A maki-e artist from the late Edo period. Commonly known as Genroku, given name Hidehisa, and pen name Kanshosai. In the "Maki-e-shi-den" and "Nurishi-den," it is written that during the Meiwa period (1764-1772), Momoha was summoned by Hachisuka Shigeyoshi, the 10th lord of Awa Tokushima, to perform maki-e on geta sandals, but he refused as it would be disrespectful. Shigeyoshi was impressed by Momoha's spirited attitude and appointed him as a maki-e artist in the family's employ, and this anecdote gives a glimpse into his character. Momoha was originally an inro maki-e artist, and is known for his intricate and gorgeous style that combines high maki-e with gold shells and kirikane. Even today, inro that are said to have been made by Momoha are handed down in various places, and the "Kiri-e Inro with Chicken Maki-e" and "Ashi-sagi Maki-e Inro" (both in the possession of the Tokyo National Museum) are representative masterpieces. The Imperial Household Agency also has in its collection the "Ujigawa Firefly Maki-e Paper Inkstone Box," which was presented to the Imperial Family by the Hachisuka family, and the name "Kanshosai, Momoha Made" is inscribed in Maki-e on the side of the inkstone box.

(Komatsu Hirohide)

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

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
江戸後期の蒔絵師。通称を源六,名を秀久といい,観松斎を号する。『蒔絵師伝・塗師伝』には,明和(1764～72)のころ,桃葉が阿波徳島10代藩主の蜂須賀重喜に召されて,下駄に蒔絵をするように依頼されたが,それを礼を失するものとして峻拒したこと,その気骨のある姿が重喜に気に入られ,同家お抱えの蒔絵師に取り立てられたこと,などが記されており,その人となりを垣間見せる逸話となっている。桃葉は本来印籠蒔絵師であり,高蒔絵に金貝や切金を併用した精細かつ華麗な作風で知られる。今日でも桃葉作とされる印籠が各地に伝えられているが,「鶏蒔絵印籠」「葦鷺蒔絵印籠」(いずれも東京国立博物館蔵)などはそれらを代表する優品といえよう。なお宮内庁には,蜂須賀家から皇室に献上された「宇治川蛍蒔絵料紙硯箱」が収蔵されており,硯箱の身の側面に「観松斎桃葉造」の銘が蒔絵で記されている。

(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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