JAPAN
their manufacture, and to discover what aims the best artists proposed to themselves in chiselling them, it is desirable to translate the words of the author of the Soken Kishō, a critical writer whose treatment of the subject is full and appreciative:—
GENERAL REMARKS.
As a general rule it is not so difficult to judge the quality of the carving on a menuki, a kozuka, and so forth as to pronounce an accurate verdict on the quality of the sword-blade.
One must commence by studying the chisel-marks on the works of the thirteen successive generations of the Goto family—the iye-bori, as they are called—until one has acquired a thoroughly clear perception of the characteristics of each master's style. This must be done with such diligence that in the end the distinguishing features of each artist's work can be recognised at a glance. Thus equipped, the amateur will, of course, be in a position to discriminate between the iye-bori work and that of all other sculptors. It is not enough, however, to be able to identify the mannerisms of the chisels. The informing spirit of the work and its art quality must also be earnestly studied. This is the shortest and only route to become a competent connoisseur. For the sculpture of a genius, whether he belongs to the iye-bori or not, is invariably permeated by a lofty spirit, whereas that of the artisan, whatever be its technical beauty, lacks elevation of tone and is consequently quite inferior. When once the connoisseur's mind is furnished with an intelligent standard of refined loftiness, there will not be the least hesitation in detecting any low or vulgar features presented by a work.
The kozuka and kōgai[1] of the first Goto masters (iye-bori), as well as of the experts of early eras, invariably have the
- ↑ It will be observed that the kozuka and kogai are the only parts of the sword-furniture referred to. These, in fact, were the parts on which the great sculptors originally expended their skill. The guard (tsuba), to which the place of honour is given by foreign connoisseurs in general, did not hold the same artistic rank as the kozuka and kōgai until a later epoch.
212
