Jakabffy Imre szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 13. (Budapest, 1971)
HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Horváth, Tibor: Notes to the Iconography of the White-robed Kannon
TIBOR HORVÂTH NOTES TO THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE WHITE-KOHKI) KANNON The exhibition of tli o museum's on Islanding pieces organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of our museum, presented us with a good opportunity of displaying the early works of art from our Japanese collection (those dating from the 8th century to the end of the J 0th century) in one room (figs. 1—2.). [ Five ink paintings from the Muromachi period (I. '502—1572) were included in the exhibition. They are as follows: 1. Unknown painter. Shoki. second half of the Kith century ; inv. no.: 57. I. 96. 2. Shutoku. Sparrows and bamboo, beginning of the Kith century 3 ; inv. no.: 5629. 3. Unknown painter, White-robed Kannon, beginning of the 16th century" 4 ; inv. no.: 9001. 4. Early Kano Master. Landscape, first half of the Kith century; inv. no.: 5630. 5. Early Kaim Master. Carp between the waves, ca. 1.530—1580°; inv. no.: 9002. Of the above paintings, this present paper wishes to deal with the iconography of the While-robed Kannon (Jigs. 3 and 4). The measurements of this painting on paper are 84.7 by 35.4 cms., and with the mounting included — 103.8 by 46.1 cms. The picture is not signed or sealed. The painting has survived in good condition, only one or two places can be found where it has been slightly retouched. 1 The Art of the Edo Period (1603—1867) was the theme of an earlier exhibition that we organized in 1067. — The first and second figures were photographed by Kálmán Kónya. 2 Tibor Horváth, Some Recent Acquisitions in the b rancis llopp Museum of Lastern Asiatic Arts. Iparművészeti Múzeum Evkönyvei (Yearbooks of the Museum of Applied Art), vol. [II—IV. L959, 321-333. 3 A Selection of the Museum's Outstanding Pieces, catalogue. 19(50. 71. The writing on the wooden box of the painting attributes it to Kano Eitoku (1543—1500). The picture was originally in the possesion of Tokunaga .Inno, the abbot of Zozo-ji Shinba-in in Tokyo. In 1012 it was given as a farewell present to Aurél Gaszner, who returning to Budapest, donated to the museum some years later. In connection with the acceptance of this attribution is the fact that the seals on the ink paintings of the Muromachi period are not always genuine, for a few hundred years ago, probably in the 17th century many of the paintings without a seal or signature were marked with the seals of earlier masters. Some of these seals were later erased. In the last decades as the research work was intensified, Takaaki Matsushita in particular has clarified the problem of the authenticity of the seals (Suiboku Painting of the Muromachi Period. I —111. Tokyo, 10(50—(52). In May 1970 when I was able lo meet him once again, be examined, at my request, a photograph of our picture and declared that, in accordance with the seal the picture was the work of Shutoku. I would like lo take this opportunity to express my grateful thanks for his expert opinion. 4 Tibor Horvátit The Art of Asia. Budapest. 1956 (second edition pis. 50—1, and also in A Selection of the Museum's Outstanding Pieces, cat., Budapest 1969.. fig. 52. 5 Idem pi. 49. 8* 115
