Dimensions
Height: 7.2 cm
Body width: 7.0 cm
Base diameter: 3.9 cm
Owner
Tokyo, Hatakeyama Memorial Museum
Kenzan’s works are extremely diverse, so even among his finest pieces, incense boxes are exceptionally rare. Among his incense boxes, the plum blossom box is particularly noted, listed at the top of the ranking of shaped boxes. This box, in particular, is surely counted among his finest works.
Its form, like a jewel, rises with particular grace, its contours are powerfully defined, and the carving of the grain is masterfully executed. The depicted plum blossom, with few branches and deep color, features a single blossom elegantly rendered in white, its brushwork being of the highest quality.
The signature on the base is written with a free and expansive style, truly pleasing to the eye.
While there are many other Kenzan incense boxes, none seem to have produced multiple pieces in the same style.
I have had the opportunity to see several of these so-called “Armor Plum” pieces. While each has its own characteristics, it would be fair to say that only a handful are truly satisfying.
