FR EN
a picture of a picture of a woman sitting on a bench
Premium TAJAN

85 - DRAWINGS OF FIVE SHISHI (or Karashishi, a mythical Chinese l…
See original version (French)

Estimate €10,000 - €15,000
Sale commission
Description
DRAWINGS OF FIVE SHISHI (or Karashishi, a mythical Chinese lion) from the NISSHIN JOMA-CHÔ series, ‘Collection of Daily Exorcisms’, each sketch accompanied by a date: the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th days of the 5th month (May) and the 1st day of the 6th month (June) respectively. Sumi ink on paper. Mounted in a kakejiku, with its kiri wood box. Originally, it also had a black lacquer box, which has been lost. DIM. 27.5 X 40 CM (10 13/16 X 15 3/4 IN.) In the years 1842–1843, Hokusai, then aged 83, began drawing one shishi a day, as a talisman to ward off misfortune and ensure good health. The shishi – or karashishi – a sacred mythical creature depicted in the form of a lion, was regarded, in both Japan and China, as possessing a magical protective power. Thus, these drawings represented a very personal endeavour on Hokusai’s part, a daily ritual linked to his innermost feelings. They were by no means intended for public circulation. All the more so as each drawing, which was dated, was, according to tradition, to be destroyed at the end of the day. However, his daughter, Oei, who looked after him during the final years of his life, preserved a large number of them. Some were eventually given to Miyamoto Shinsuke, to whom Hokusai had promised a drawing in gratitude for his hospitality; the artist wrote a personal note in one of the ten sketchbooks he gave him. In the preface to the series presented to Miyamoto Shinsuke, Hokusai wrote: “Every morning, I would continue to draw, hoping for a peaceful day”. In 1906, the Kokka-sha publishing house in Tokyo published a compilation by Jungo Murayama, which helped to make them famous. Numbering 219, they have the status of “Important Cultural Properties” and are currently held at the Kyushu National Museum in Dazaifu, to which they were bequeathed by Gorô Sakamoto (1923–2016), a great collector and dealer, who acquired them after a series of twists and turns. This is the most significant collection of this type of drawing by Hokusai. Other sketches have followed different paths, scattered amongst collections in Japan and around the world. They occasionally turn up at exhibitions on the artist and at public auctions. It seems that Hokusai did not actually draw one every day; sometimes, he would produce several in a single day. What began as simple drawings of shishi evolved, through the artist’s imagination and verve, into scenes that were at times full of humour. These included shishimai dancers, shishi accompanying Buddhist deities or other figures, and illustrations of legends. Or simply a single shishi, but in lively, even offbeat situations. Sometimes two, three or, more rarely, four shishi may appear in a single drawing. The Kyushu National Museum’s collection includes a few such examples. However, to date, no drawing featuring five shishi with a date has been recorded. This makes our drawing particularly interesting and rare. Note The 219 drawings, which did not yet belong to the Kyushu National Museum at the time, were the subject of an exhibition in Paris in 1980, at the Centre culturel du Marais, entitled ‘Le Fou de peinture: Hokusai et son temps’, 6 Oct. 1980–4 Jan. 1981. They are now ‘prohibited’ from leaving the museum, in accordance with one of the conditions attached to their donation.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale THE BERNARD ROUSSEAU COLLECTION – DRAWINGS BY HOKUSAI, PAINTINGS FROM JAPAN AND CHINA
Auction location
Auction time 10/22/2026 at 3:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like