Heather James Fine Art - Arts of Asia Catalogue

China

Embroidery of a Floral and Bird Motif China, 19th Century Silk 10 x 7 ft.

AS1021

The peacock is the symbol of beauty and dignity, while the pheasant is also the symbol of beauty as well as good fortune. The art of embroidery is a long established art form; it became widespread during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.). Men and women were both involved in working on the fine silk embroideries. Some of the exquisite, finely stitched embroideries took 5 to 6 people and several years to complete. The finest embroidery pieces were very expensive. Gradually, embroidery developed as a pastime for the Imperial Palace court women and many members of the court were renowned for their intricate needlework.

Blue Embroidery with Birds and Floral Motif China, 19th Century Silk 99 1/2 x 53 in.

AS 993 / AS 994 Chinese embroidery boasts a very long history. An embroidery piece with dragon and phoenix pattern was unearthed at 1958 from Chu tomb (Warring Sates Period, 475 -221 B.C.) and the “Longevity embroidery” & “Token embroidery” unearthed at 1972 from Mawangdui Han tomb (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) in Changsha of Hunan Province, proving that embroidery reached a high level of development over 2000 years ago. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), some Portuguese businessmen visited China and returned home with samples of Chinese embroidery and they were highly rewarded by their king. Since then, Chinese embroidery became well known throughout the world. Silk, in textile and embroidery form, was the main products transported along the ancient Chinese Silk Road. In the Qing Dynasty (1644- 1912), embroidery workshops were formed and the industry was developed. Chinese embroidery became more elegant and covered a wider aesthetic range.

Sancai-Glazed Horse with Cut-Fur Blanket China, Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) Glazed Pottery Height: 29 1/2 in.

2486 Under the Tang China experienced a period of great cultural flowering, remarkable for its achievements across all areas of the arts and sciences. The tolerance of the Tang Imperial Court to outside influence and the free movement along the East- West trade route known as the Silk Road saw major urban centres become thriving cosmopolitan cities, with the Chinese capital, Chang’an (modern Xian) expanding to reach a population of over one million. Tang Dynasty figurative ceramics share particular characteristics. The forms areanimated and life-like, the subject matter covers all aspects of social and ritual lifeand the scale of the figures was reasonably small with the exception of somemagnificent larger works commissioned for the tombs of the elite.

Buddah China, Shandong Province, Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577 AD) Gilt Limestone Height: 25 in.

2203

Provenance: Min-Chang Hong The Northern Qi dynasty Buddhas have an elegant appearance and are distinguished by their elongated bodies, broad shoulders and slender waists with slightly protruding stomachs. They have finely defined faces with prominent noses and arched eyebrows. The long and diaphanous monastic robe with traces of polychrome still remaining is known as a kasya.

Oil Lamp of a Ram China, Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) Painted Pottery Length: 15 in.

2482

During the Han Dynasty burial rituals became increasingly complex and hierarchical. Burial mounds formed the shape of hills, a reference to the belief that the dead made their homes on mountains. Symbolism was also more defined with the ‘Five Elements’ playing an increasingly important role. Comprised of the four cardinal directions with earth at the centre representing equilibrium, each point was associated with different animals, seasons, colours and properties. Funerary wares from the Han period provide a fascinating insight into the nature of daily life. There are replicas of complete farms with granaries, animal pens and domestic dwellings. Aristocratic tombs also contained substantial terracotta and wooden figures which attested to the status and power of the deceased, such as sculptures of warriors and their chariots, foot soldiers, grain stores and horses.

Oil Lamp of a Stag China, Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) Painted Pottery Length: 15 in.

2483

During the Han Dynasty burial rituals became increasingly complex and hierarchical. Burial mounds formed the shape of hills, a reference to the belief that the dead made their homes on mountains. Symbolism was also more defined with the ‘Five Elements’ playing an increasingly important role. Comprised of the four cardinal directions with earth at the centre representing equilibrium, each point was associated with different animals, seasons, colours and properties. Funerary wares from the Han period provide a fascinating insight into the nature of daily life. There are replicas of complete farms with granaries, animal pens and domestic dwellings. Aristocratic tombs also contained substantial terracotta and wooden figures which attested to the status and power of the deceased, such as sculptures of warriors and their chariots, foot soldiers, grain stores and horses.

Hu with a Chain China, Zhou Dynasty (1122 – 256 BC) Bronze Height: 12 1/2 in.

AS780

The hu is a ritual wine vessel used with other ritual vessels in temple offerings of food and wine to ancestors and placed in tombs and burial sites to honor the dead. This slender, curved, pear-shaped bottle is made of bronze. Given the relatively restrained decoration of this hu, it is therefore instead probably related to the generally more austere style found in regions of Northern China, although austerity was by no means incompatible with magnificence. Such large bronze vessels were also symbols of power and status. In fact, early Chinese historical texts state that the possession of hu vessels symbolized the authority to rule. Hu with suspension chains appeared in the 6th century BCE, apparently inspired by nomadic lifestyle. The hu is one of the last models of bronze wine vessels. These were soon to be replaced by polychrome pottery hu that were both cheaper and more suitable for use as funerary artifacts to replace the obsolete ritual bronze vessels.

Scholars Rock China, 19th Century Ying stone 17 1/2 x 7 x 11 1/2 in.

3725

The term “scholar’s rock” is used to describe rocks of a distinctive shape, texture, and color that were deemed appropriate for display in the scholar’s studio. Rocks have long been admired in China as an essential element in gardens. By the early Song dynasty (960–1279), small ornamental rocks were also collected as accoutrements of the scholar’s study, and the portrayal of individual rocks—often joined with an old tree or bamboo—became a favorite and enduring pictorial genre. From the fourteenth century onward, depictions of gardens almost always included representations of a fantastic rock or “artificial mountain,” and scholars’ rocks often supplanted actual scenery as sources of inspiration for images of landscape.

Japan

Ando Hiroshge (1797-1858) Mount Atago Shiba One Hundred Famous Views of Edo Japan, 1857 Woodblock Print 13 1/4 in. x 8 3/4 in.

2001

Ando Hiroshige was a famous Japanese painter and printmaker who was the last great figure in the art of Ukiyo-e, which literally means “pictures of the floating world”. Hiroshige transmuted everyday landscapes into intimate, lyrical scenes with aesthetics that highlighted the transient nature of existence. Woodblock prints became very fashionable in Europe in the 1860’s and 1970’s and had a direct impact on Monet and the Impressionists, as well as Gauguin and van Gogh.

Ando Hiroshge (1797-1858) Buzen Famous Views of Sixty Odd Provinces Japan, 1854 Woodblock Print 13 1/4 in. x 8 3/4 in.

2005

Ando Hiroshge (1797-1858) Zenko Temple and the Ferry at Kawaguchi One Hundred Famous Views of Edo Japan, 1857 Woodblock Print 13 1/4 in. x 8 3/4 in.

2009

Ando Hiroshge (1797-1858) Aoi Slope One Hundred Famous Views of Edo Japan, 1857 Woodblock Print 13 1/4 in. x 8 3/4 in.

2011

Embroidered Roundels of Turtles Japan, 19th Century Silk and Gold Thread Embroidery 21 x 32 in.

2138 / AS 1985 Japan’s textile industry was one of the first to adopt Western science and technology, and thus the Meiji era produced some of the highest quality silk textiles. The engravings of oil paintings inspired the embroideries, with the artist of the painting and the artist at the textile factory maintaining a close relationship. Japanese embroidery technique goes back more than one thousand years. It originated in China and was eventually introduced to Japan by Korean artisans; around the same time Buddhism entered Japan. In Japan, colored silks were embroidered with long soft stitches in untwisted silk threads. Flowers, birds, bold flowing lines, and abstract motifs are common in Japanese textiles, and the designs achieve a feeling of calm restraint through their spacious distribution. Also characteristic of Japanese textiles is the use of gold and silver thread. The Japanese developed a special method of creating metal threads, in which a layer of gold or silver was deposited on to rice paper, which was then cut into fine strips and wrapped around a thread core.

Fukusa of a Fan Motif with Cranes and Tortoises Japan, Meiji Period, (1868-1912) Silk Emboidery 36 x 36 in.

2185 / AS 1168 The practice of laying fukusa over presents placed on wooden or lacquer trays becamewide spread during the Edo period, (17th to 19th century). What begun as a functionalpractice to protect gifts from the elements, took on a decorative life of its own. Well to do families owned large numbers of fukusa and often, commissioned famous artists of the time to design exclusively for them. The drawings were then created by such techniques as tie-dying, stenciling, slit embroidery, tapestry, painting with embroidery and combinations of all methods.

Each time a fukusa was required, it was chosen not only for the occasion but also for the season, the gift itself, and status of the donor and the recipient.

Fukusa of Dignitary on Horseback with Attendants Japan, Meiji Period, (1868-1912) Silk Emboidery 37 x 34 1/2 in.

2443 / AS1186

Fukusa of Scholars with Scroll Japan, Meiji Period, (1868-1912) Couched gold and silk floss on blue silk ground 2443 / AS1186

Fukusa of Tortoise and Crane Japan, Meiji Period, (1868-1912) Silk and gold thread emboidery 34 x 36 in.

AS1194

Eagle Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk and Gold Thread Embroidery 82 x 56 in.

3218 The Meiji era produced some of the highest quality silk textiles. The engravings of oil paintings inspired the embroideries, with the artist of the painting and the artist at the textile factory maintaining a close relationship. Japanese embroidery technique goes back more than one thousand years. It originated in China and was eventually introduced to Japan by Korean artisans; around the same time Buddhism entered Japan. The Emperor Meiji, who replaced the last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu as Head of State, was a man of vision and culture.

He encouraged the adoption of Western customs, fashion, education and industry, and above all the continuation of the traditional arts and crafts of Japan in a form adapted to world-wide taste and expectation. In 1890 he instituted a system of honorific appointments to the Imperial Household called the Teishitsu Geigei-In or “Imperial Artists�. These elite artists were commissioned to make pieces for presentation to both Japanese and foreign dignitaries and had the right to mark them with the chrysanthemum Mon, or badge, of the Imperial Family.

Dragon scroll Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silver thread and silk embroidery 56 x 27 1/4 in.

4987

Embroidery of Birds and Irises Japan, Meiji Period (c.1890) Silk embroidery 30 x 30 in.

AS887

Eagle on a Pine Branch Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk embroidery 63 1/4 x 26 1/2 in. (each panel, framed) 2792

Swirling Dragons Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk embroidery 3866

Floral Embroidery Japan, Meiji Period, c. 1900 Silk floss and satin stitch 64 x 59 in.

5048

Scroll Painting of a White Hawk Japan, Edo Period (1603-1868) Pigment on Paper 76 in. x 25 in.

2317 / AS 578 As nearly all forms of art, early painting had been under the influence of the Chinese culture. By and by, new and specifically Japanese styles were developed and painting schools were established. Each school practiced their own style. However, Chinese influence remained strong until the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1867). There is a general term to describe painting in the Japanese style - yamato-e.

After the opening of Japan to the West under the Meiji period (1868-1912), the early years were marked by an exaggerated embracing of Western art. The newly founded universities established departments for Western art, called Western academic artists into the country as teachers and sent out students to study art in Europe - mainly in France and Italy. Hand in hand with a rising nationalism, the pendulum soon went back into the other direction. The public opinion began to recognize the richness of the old tradition and even condemned Western art.

Six-Panel Screen of Pheasants Japan, Edo Period (1603-1868) AS 924

The folding screen byobu is one of the distinctive forms of Japanese art. As is true of much of Japanese culture, the byobu originated in China and was adopted by Japan in the Eighth Century. By the Momoyama period (1568-1615), stylistic and technical changes led to screens becoming the focal point of domestic spaces. Often, but not always, screens were created in pairs and were made of two, four, six and on occasion 8 panels. Two-panel screens usually measure three feet wide by six feet tall per panel. Four and six-panel screens typically measure two feet wide by six feet tall per panel. Eight panel screens tend to be a bit narrower. To see a screen in a “traditional” way you need to “read” the image from right to left. It is also helpful to view the screen from a low position looking slightly up. This gives the viewer the best chance to see the screen as the artist intended.

Usabata Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Bronze 19 1/2 x 12 1/4 x 12 1/4 in.

4301 It was during the late Meiji period that exquisite examples of bronzes, such as this one, were first seen by the West during the international expositions. It was only the Japanese that understood the value of color in metal. In many examples we see gold, silver, copper, zinc, black-metal, and tea-urn bronze. The Emperor Meiji, who replaced the last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu as Head of State, was a man of vision and culture. He encouraged the adoption of Western customs, fashion, education and industry, and above all the continuation of the traditional arts and crafts of Japan in a form adapted to world-wide taste and expectation. In 1890 he instituted a system of honorific appointments to the Imperial Household called the Teishitsu Geigei-In or “Imperial Artists�. These elite artists were commissioned to make pieces for presentation to both Japanese and foreign dignitaries and had the right to mark them with the chrysanthemum Mon, or badge, of the Imperial Family.

Pair of Temple Figures, Nio Japanese, late Muromachi to early Edo Period (1467 – 1652) Wood 71 in. high each 1072 / AS1108 The Nio (Benevolent Kings) are a pair of protectors who stand guard outside the temple gate at most Japanese Buddhist temples, one on either side of the entrance. The fierce and threatening facial expressions on the Nio wards off evil spirits and keep the temple ground free of demons and thieves. The subjects are Indian in origin as manifestations of Vajrapani Bodhisattvas and by some accounts, the Nio were said to have followed and protected the historical Buddha when he traveled throughout India. Each is named after a particular cosmic sound. The closed-mouth figure is called Ungyo, who sounds “un” or “om” meaning death. The open-mouthed partner is called Misshaku Kongo (Agyo) who utters the sound “ah” meaning birth and is equated with the Indian deity Vajrapani, whose name means “Thunderbolt Holder.”

Fudo Myo-o, “The Immovable One” Japanese, Murimachi / Early Edo 15th-16th Century Wood with metal and rope 11 x 11 x 26 in.

3718 In some forms of Japanese Vajrayana Buddhism, Fudo Myo-o (Ācala) is considered as one of the Thirteen Buddhas and is usually invoked first for spiritual protection. Fudo Myo-o, meaning “Immovable Wisdom King”, is the patron deity of the Yamabushi. He usually holds a sword and a lariat, is clad in monastic rags, has one fang pointing up and another pointing down, and a braid on the left side of his head. His statues are generally placed near waterfalls and deep in the mountains and in caves.

Butsudan Japanese, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Gilt wood and bronze hardware 3908 A butsudan is a shrine commonly found in temples and homes in Japanese Buddhist cultures. A butsudan is a wooden cabinet with doors that enclose and protect a gohonzon or religious icon, typically a statue or painting of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, or a “script� mandala scroll.

The doors are opened to display the icon during religious observances, and closed before sunset. A butsudan usually contains an array of subsidiary religious items, called butsugu, such as candlesticks, incense burners, bells, and platforms for placing offerings such as fruit, tea or rice. Some Buddhist sects place ihai, memorial tablets for deceased relatives, within or near the butsudan.

Contemporary

Kaoru Mansour (b. 1956) Iro (hana) #268 mixed media on canvas 42 x 12 in.

Executed in 2006 4032 Kaoru Mansour, a native of Japan, is currently working as a painter in Los Angeles. Her artwork has varied over the last ten years, ranging from geometric abstract paintings on paper to her more recent botanical collage elements on wooden panels. Delicately colored organic forms are covered with twenty to thirty different layers of encaustic, which gives her work a rich and highly textured appearance. The artist goes into her physical surroundings to gather plants and flowers - whatever she finds of interest during a particular season. She then transfers images of single specimens onto panels - whether it is a leaf, the whole plant or just a portion of a flower - the image is always simple and solitary. A muted, butter-like background holds the image which is glazed over to form a cracked, raku-like surface - a small gesture to her Japanese heritage. Mansour then draws colored circles and other small ink markings on the panels, enhancing the fundamental beauty of a single branch or stem.

Kaoru Mansour (b. 1956) Iro (hana) #266 mixed media on canvas 42 x 12 in.

Executed in 2007 4033

Kaoru Mansour (b. 1956) Maple (momiji) #101 Collage, acrylic, and mixed media on canvas 72 x 45 in.

Executed in 2010 4551

Kaoru Mansour (b. 1956) Fish #101 Mxed media 8 inches diameter Executed in 2010 4037

Kaoru Mansour (b. 1956) Fish #103 Mxed media 7 1/2 inches diameter Executed in 2010 4039

Yang Maoyuan (b. 1966) Untitled Marble 10 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.

2006 3185 Yang Maoyuan is a highly regarded artist well known for his sculptures, installations and paintings. Unlike other artists of his age, Yang places an interest in traditional Chinese philosophy and ideology in the focus of his art. He is deeply engaged in the spiritual and mental options those ideas implicate and these philosophic and spiritual reflections are manifested in his art. In his marble sculptures of the face and head of Buddha, Yang explores the shapes and misshapes of the animal and human form. Of his art, he says, “I don’t think there is much connection between art and creation. Art is an experience for me, or it is a way in which I get to know myself. “Man” can be much more complicated and more interesting than art. My work is to represent this complexity and to find out he simple relationship behind. I am amazed by this simplicity and regard it as the most beautiful thing.”

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