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Okimono 置物 (objets d'art)

Okimono are decorative objects and are typically displayed in the tokonoma—a built-in recessed alcove in a Japanese style reception room where paintings or other items for artistic appreciation are displayed.

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Bizen_shishi_okimono (165K) GyuDo-ji_cowboy (170K) Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey (110K) Keizan_lacquer_pheasants (164K) Kannon_Bizen (290K) Saegusa_horse_side1 (197K)


Bizen_shishi_okimono (165K)
Creator.Personal Name: Unknown.
Description: Bizen ware shishi (lion dog); mark on bottom.
Date: mid-late 20th century.
Subject: Sculpture, Japanese.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material).
Measurements: height 8.6 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Detail: side view.
Bizen_shishi_okimono_side (162K) 		Detail:
Bizen_shishi_okimono_detail (162K)
Detail of mark on bottom:
Bizen_shishi_okimono_mark (189K)
GyuDo-ji_cowboy (170K)
Creator.Personal Name: Unknown.
Description: bronze statue of a boy riding an ox (gyudo-ji 牛童子)*; unmarked.
Date: mid-late 20th century.
Subject: Sculpture, Japanese.
Subject: Bronzes, Japanese.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: bronze.
Measurements: height 9.8 in., length 12.2 in., width 5.5 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work


*This is a fairly common theme in Chinese and Japanese art, but it may also represent picture no. 6 of the Ox-herding pictures (aka Ten Bulls).
Detail:
GyuDo-ji_cowboy_detail_boy (169K) 		Detail: rear view.
GyuDo-ji_cowboy_detail_rear (155K)
Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey (110K)
 Creator.Personal Name: 新開寛山, 1912-
Creator.Personal Name: Shinkai Kanzan, 1912-
Description: monkey wearing Shinto garb; mark on bottom: Kanzan 寛山; with signed and sealed tomobako; storage box has the kanji Saru 申—ninth sign of Chinese zodiac (The Monkey, 3pm-5pm, west-southwest, July—and the Shinto garb makes the figure resemble Masaru 神猿, the sacred monkey who can overcome all obstacles and prevail against all evil.
Subject: Sculpture, Japanese.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Culture: Japanese.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material)
Measurements: length 5 1/8 in., height 8 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Detail: face.
Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey_detail_face (163K) 		Detail: face.
Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey_detail_face2 (144K)
Detail: side view.
Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey_side (101K) 		Detail: rear view.
Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey_back (109K)
Mark on bottom: Kanzan 寛山.
Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey_mark (187K) 		Tomobako lid.
Shinkai_Kanzan_monkey_tomobako (125K)
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants (164K)
 Creator.Personal Name: 景山.
Creator.Personal Name: Keizan.
Description: pair of male and female pheasants; kanshitsu 乾漆 (dry lacquer technique) with gold maki-e details and mother-of-pearl inlay; signature on bottom; with signed and sealed tomobako.
Subject: Pheasants.
Subject: Sculpture, Japanese.
Subject: Lacquer and lacquering—Japan.
Culture: Japanese.
Material.Medium: lacquered wood.
Measurements: male pheasant: length 9 5/8 in., height 4 5/16 in.; female pheasant: length 6 1/2 in., height 3 3/4 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Detail: male pheasant.
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_detail_male (183K) 		Detail: female pheasant.
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_detail_female (166K)
Side view: male pheasant.
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_side_male (161K) 		Side view: female pheasant.
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_side_female (132K)
Rear view: male pheasant.
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_back_male (177K) 		Rear view: female pheasant.
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_back_female (201K)
Signature on bottom: 景山作
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_sig (260K) 		Tomobako:
Keizan_lacquer_pheasants_tomobako (157K)
Kannon_Bizen (297K)
 Creator.Personal Name: Unknown.
Description: Kannon 観音 statue, Bizen ceramic ware, unsigned.
Subject: Sculpture, Japanese.
Subject: Pottery, Japanese.
Culture: Japanese.
Material.Medium: ceramic (material)
Measurements: width 4.7 in., length 4.7 in., height 13.8 in.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Side view
Kannon_Bizen_side1 (298K) 		Side view
Kannon_Bizen_side2 (478K)
Detail
Kannon_Bizen_detail1 (446K) 		Detail
Kannon_Bizen_detail2 (443K)
Rear view
Kannon_Bizen_back (274K)
Saegusa_horse_side1 (197K)
 Creator.Personal Name: 惣太郎三枝, 1911-2006.
Creator.Personal Name: Saegusa Sōtarō, 1911-2006.
Description: Takaoka copper ware horse, signed, with signed tomobako.
Subject: Sculpture, Japanese.
Subject: Copperwork.
Style.Period: Modern.
Material.Medium: Copper.
Culture: Japanese.
Measurements: height: 9.05 inches, length: 9.05, width 2.5inches.
Location.Current Repository: private collection, C. J. Campbell (Chicago, Ill.)
Rights: C. J. Campbell.
Record Type: work.
Side view
Saegusa_horse_side2 (176K) 		Front view
Saegusa_horse_front (172K)
Mark:
Saegusa_horse_mark (198K) 		Tomobako:
Saegusa_horse_tomobako (293K)

Sotaro Saegusa was born in 1911 in Kagawa Prefecture of Japan. A graduate of the Metallic Engineering Department of Kagawa Prefectural Technical School in 1930 and the Sculpting School of Tokyo School of Fine Arts, Saegusa specialized in oil painting and large scale public sculpture. Later he worked as a professor in The Nagoya University of Arts until he retired in 1986. Saegusa died in 2006.

After his retirement, Saegusa focused on sculptures of animals and opened a teaching workshop. His bronze works display a variety of themes and postures, reflecting traditional Japanese culture with an injection of abstract elements. His works are highly revered for their artistic beauty.

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