|
|
Shoami is a name you will hear and read about, and you will not give it much thought – but you should, from the point of view of there having once been a very large number of them, with a subsequently very large output. The main problem about identifying older examples of Shoami work is that it would seem that no contemporary physical records of their ‘organisation’ exists today. This is not to say that it is impossible to ascribe a School to a Shoami tsuba that you may find – far from it. Later Edo works of Shoami tsubashi are all too well known to tsuba collectors simply because there were so many workers in very many places in Japan who followed the established traditions of Shoami. This makes it possible to find Shoami tsuba everywhere you go, if you can read the signs, but it has to be admitted that, with some remarkable exceptions, late Edo works are a change of what the School began to produce in the late Muromachi period. Ko-Shoami The first tsuba of the Ko-Shoami type appear in the late Muromachi age. From that time to the end of the Momoyama age constitutes the period in which tsuba of the Ko-Shoami type were produced. Since this term means "old Shoami it simply refers to the beginning of the Edo age. In the Edo age this school is simply called Shoami. There do not seem to be any signed examples of Ko-Shoami tsuba. In contrast to this, the majority of the Shoami tsuba made in the Edo age are signed. The reason why this school did not sign in its early stages can only be surmised. Kyo-Shoami From the end of the Muromachi age, to the begining of the Edo age we have the decline of the tosho and Katchushi schools, the last of the Owari sukashi, and the origin of the Bushu, Higo, and Akasaka schools; but the largest and most powerful of all was the Shoami school. The majority of the Shoami workers had moved to provincial areas but a few stayed on in the capital, as the descendants of the Ko-Shoami; these artists were the Kyo-Shoami workers of the Edo age. Awa-Shoami From recent information and a study of the actual tsuba it is clear that there are two styles of Awa Shoami tsuba. One is inlaid decoration in gold and silver nunome on a brass plate. The designs are flowers, birds, fretwork and scroll work. These are usually in geometric patterns. Some carving of lions, flowers, and other objects will be found. The second style is iron plate usually with fan shaped or diamond shaped plates of soft metal inlaid on the surface. These inlays are decorated with gold and silver nunome or carving. The designs are flowers and landscapes. In some cases suemon zogan is used instead of carving. The inside surface of the carved lines may be covered with nunome inlay. Those Awa tsuba of iron plate are of later workmanship than those of brass plate. The first style is not as common as this second style. Those of iron plate were probably made at the time of the fifth generation and after. Bizen-Shoami This family of artists was regarded highly by Lord Ikeda of Bizen Province. For their services they were given an allowance from the castle stores. From the provincal records and those of the Ikeda family, the history of the Bizen Shoami school is very well annotated. These records are in good order and reveal a wealth of information heretofore unknown to the authors of the past. The style of the Bizen Shoami school is rich in its decorative quality. The designs are naive but very tasteful. It has a resemblance to the Kyo-Shoami tsuba of the same period but it is not as delicate nor sophisticated as the work of the capital. The subjects of the designs are more applicable to the countryside, having a strong and bold quality. The majority of the subjects of the designs are of openwork in ubuzukashi style. They are decorated with nunome and/or iroe inlay. Iyo-Shoami One hears that the Iyo-Shoami school existed from very early times. They are thought to have struggled with the Kyo-Shoami workers for leadership of the Shoami family. There does not seem to be any documentation to support the idea that the Iyo-Shoami school is older than any other branch school. It is more likely that it was formed at the same time as the other schools that were dispersed to the provinces. If any branch school may be considered anterior to the others it would have to be the Kyo-Shoami school, for they were the direct descendants of the Ko-Shoami and remained at the capital. All other Shoami schools were formed slightly later than the Kyo-Shoami in the early Edo age. The majority of work of the Iyo-Shoami school is in low relief carving, line carving, flat inlay, large areas of raised inlay, or mixed inlay. The common characteristic of most Shoami schools, i.e. nunome inlay, is rarely found in the work of this school. In essence the style is simple, naive and has a country feeling. Nevertheless, it is not without interest. Aizu-Shoami There are numerous opinions to explain the origin of the Aizu-Shoami school. The most logical of these theories was the one put forward by the late Nagaoka Tsuneki, author of the Shonai Kinko no Kenkyu. In this kenkyu, Nagaoka stated that Jirohachi was the founder of the Aizu Shoami school. There does not seem to be any tsuba by Jirohachi bearing his place of residence. In fact, we are not sure that he ever worked in Aizu. He seems to have been an independant artist without apprentices who might have carried on the style of his school in the Aizu area. Thus we cannot state for certain the origin of this school, for there do not seem to be enough facts to tell us anything of the early period of the Aizu Shoami. By the Genroku era and after, the style was a combination of Shoami and later Umetada school styles. Shonai Shoami Shonai is located in the remote northern part of the main island of Japan. This detachment from the rest of the country has given the work of this school a simple elegant feeling. The quiet sincerity of the work of the Shonai Shoami rarely fails to be interesting. The Sakai family controlled the extensive lands of the Shonai area and for this received one hundred and forty thousand koku of rice annually. Akita Shoami In the past there have been four opinions as to the origin of the Akita Shoami school. One says Dennai was the originator of this school when he camefrom Edo. Another says that he founded this school coming directly from Shonai. A third idea put forward by Nagaoka says that "Dembei was the creator of the Akita school." A fourth idea is that there was a Ko-Shoami school line working in Akita before any of these artists reached there. The fourth idea seems to be the most logical. The name Yoshinaga is to be found from an early period in the Akita area. He is said to have been the teacher of Dembei, but their full relationship is not known. Nor do we have any names of artists before that of Yoshinaga. However, from an examination of the work of these men it would seem clear that Yoshinaga introduced the Shoami style into the Akita area, and if anyone can be called the father of the Akita Shoami school it would have to be he. Dembei is the most important artist of Akita and his master works resemble fine Umetada tsuba or Ko-Shoami work. He occasionally worked in a style closely resembling that of Oda Naonori of Satsuma. His work is about equal in rank to that of Kiyonari of Shonai. By the Kansei era (1789-1800) the work of the Akita school cannot be found. From that time forward it seems the school disappeared without leaving a trace of the artists who had lived there. Subsidiary Schools of the Shoami There were a number of other Shoami workers in various provinces who were either independent artists or members of such small groups that their existence has been overlooked. The late Akiyama doubted that there had ever been a Shoami school in Edo, but after careful investigation he found evidence indicating its existence. This school is now called the Bushu Shoami. These workers must have been the descendants of Jirohachi who had remained in Edo. The work of this group is in the Kyo-Shoami style or that of Jirohachi. The Bushu Shoami tsuba in Kyo-Shoami style are often mistaken for the work of the Kyoto school. This may be avoided by an examination of the iron plate. The Bushu Shoami plate is not as old or rich as that done in Kyoto. The Bushu Shoami school existed at a later date than did the Kyo-Shoami school. |
Return to EDL Collection
GO TO Home Page | Library Books | Tsuba Collective | Study Guide | E-MAIL