| This kogai depicts a profusion of maple leaves rendered in sukidashibori on a shakudō ground. Since ancient times, maple leaves have been admired as one of the quintessential motifs of autumn, celebrated for the beauty of their changing colors and widely favored in sword fittings as an expression of seasonal elegance. The design is executed in sukidashibori, a technique in which the surrounding ground is carved away to leave the motif in relief. Each maple leaf is carefully carved down to the finest veins, creating a layered composition that vividly evokes leaves drifting in an autumn breeze. The shakudō ground harmonizes beautifully with the carving, producing a work of remarkable depth and refinement. The metalworker Hokkyū, whose family name was Miyake, also used the art name Jiritsusai. He was the son of Miyake Hidemitsu, a student of the second-generation Sōyo, and was the later name of Tomohide. Passed the NBTHK Hozon Tosogu shinsa in 2021. |
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