Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 7.djvu/317

 Ōsaka, is remembered for his wonderful masks and cuttle-fish. Kikuoka Mitsuyūki (1780), of Yedo, artistically known as Dopposai or Saikaon, an artist of the highest ability, is held to have equalled Sōmin as a carver of peonies; and Shōami Morikuni (1730), of Matsuyama (Iyo province), has had few equals as a chiseller of dragons and clouds. This list might be greatly prolonged, but such distinctions are apt to be misleading, since in many cases they suggest a narrower range of motives than the artists in question really selected.

The Nara family made large contributions to the finest productions of this century. Toshihisa and Yasuchika, who worked during the first half of the century, have already been spoken of, and with them must be bracketed Jōi (art name, Issando Nagabaru, 1720), who by many connoisseurs is regarded as the peer of the "Three Nara Pictures." It is not certain whether Jōi belonged originally to the Nara family or was adopted into it. He learned carving from Nara Hisanaga (art name, Zenzo), who, in turn, was a brilliant pupil of the celebrated Nara Toshinaga. Jōi excelled in the shishi-ai style of carving. His work was singularly soft without sacrificing strength, and he chose elaborate subjects, using gold freely for purposes of damascening and picking out. He drew his motives chiefly from martial history, but he chiselled flowers, also, and landscapes with consummate skill. Three other members of the Nara family deserve a place in this context. They are Masanaga (1740), his son Masachika (1760), and Masanobu. Masanaga (art name, Seiraku) was a pupil of Toshihisa. Reference has already been made to his celebrated