Imre Jakabffy (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 1. (Budapest, 1973)
FERENCZY, László: Japanese inro in the Hopp Museum. Part two
52a 52b 51. Inrö of five cases; internal channels (Fig. 51). Inside orange nashiji. The decoration of the two sides is interlocked at one edge. The theme of the decoration is a tale, the foxes' wedding procession (kitsune no yome-iri). The foxes carrying the palanquin march in rain through the wood; the group is led by eight foxes. The whole scene is rendered in fine togidashi technique, in various shades of gold and some silver in black ground. Above nashiji strewn in clouds. 9.3X5.1 cm. Signature: Koma Kyoryù and red kakihan. The name in this case is followed by tsukuru and the writing is different from that under Nr. 50. The biographical list of lacquer workers compiled by Tsuda gives no year of birth and death for this master but mentions only 1772-—1788 as working years. Our inrô looks somewhat more recent. Koma Kyoryù is mentioned also by von Ragué as the maker of lacquer works decorated in rather fine togidashi technique. 1 " The same story, the wedding of foxes appears on the inrő of another Koma master, of Koma Kyùhaku in gold togidashi 17 ; on an inrő of the Behrens collection, signed Tőyő, in sumi-e technique 18 and on three other inrő of Tőyő masters. 1 " It is noteworthy that this story is reproduced mostly in togidashi technique. Perhaps an earlier well-known inrő decorated with the same scene might have served as a model for these pieces. 52. Inrő of two cases; internal channels (Fig. 52 a —b). Inside sparse nashiji in clouds, in 135
