Ajita Sonja, the 15th Arhat (copy after Ryozen, F1904.309)

Object Details

• Artist

  Shibata Zeshin 柴田是真 (1807-1891)

  Copy after Ryozen (ca. 1328-ca. 1360)

• School/Tradition

  Shijo

• Provenance

  Possibly 1831-1891

  Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) [1]

  Possibly 1891-?

  Possibly Shibata Reisai

  , by inheritance from his father Shibata Zeshin [2]

  By 2009-?

  Unidentified collector, method of acquisition unknown [3]

  ?-2012

  Takashi Yanagi Oriental Fine Arts, Kyoto, Japan, method of acquisition unknown [4]

  From 2012

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Takashi Yanagi Oriental Fine Arts, Kyoto, Japan [5]

  Notes:

  [1] See object file for Freer Gallery of Art Arthur M. Sackler Gallery form “Acquisition Consideration Purchase”, with attached curatorial justification, dated May 2, 2012. The box which this painting is stored in is original to the artist, with inscriptions on the front and back made by Zeshin. The Smithsonian Curator of Japanese Art wrote, “Zeshin’s notations indicate that the painting is [a] copy of a work found in the collection of the Kyoto temple Sanseizenji.” The original painting referenced, F1904.309, is now in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art and is one of an ensemble set (F1904.295 – F1904.311). The curator further explained that there is some debate on the creation date of this object, citing a 2009-2010 exhibition in Japan which attributes the date to 1831 (See note 3), with other scholars pointing to 1855, the year Shibata acquired a set of the original arhat paintings from the Sanseizenji temple. Scholars agree that Shibata made copies of each painting in the set after he acquired them. Shibata Zeshin was a painter, print designer, and lacquer artisan, and recognized for his research of early examples of Buddhist iconography. He was a student of Kano

  Kazunobu (1816-1863), and he would eventually hold the post of Imperial household Artisan.

  [2] See note 1. See also provenance for Freer Gallery of Art object F1904.309. Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919) acquired the ensemble set from the son of Shibata Zeshin (possibly Shibata Reisai), through the Boston dealer Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), in 1904. It is possible the son also inherited this object, F2012.5a-e, from his father as well.

  [3] See object file for copy of exhibition catalog “Shibata Zeshin”, Mitsue Memorial Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan, December 5, 2009 – February 7, 2010; The Shōkokuji Jōtenkaku Museum, Kyoto, Japan, April 3 – June 6, 2010; and the Toyama Prefectural Ink Museum, Toyama, Japan, June 25 – August 22, 2010; cat. no. J-23. A translation of the catalog describes the painting as one of “16 Arhats,” and identifies it as being in a private collection. From the catalog entry, “On New Year’s Day, 1831, Zeshin, while on a trip to Kyoto, bought three of Lee Yong-min’s “Sixteen Arhats of Shakyamuni” (currently in the Freer Gallery of Art, U.S.A.).”

  [4] See object file for copy of FedEx international Air Waybill, dated February 27, 2012, from Takashi Yanagi Oriental Fine Arts to the Freer Gallery of Art Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The package is described as “Arhat Painting by Shibata Zeshin.” See also copy of Certificate of Insurance for the loan agreement between the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Yanagi Takashi. The period of insurance was March 1, 2012 to July 31, 2012. In addition to being considered for acquisition, the “Ajita Sonja” was on loan for the exhibition “Masters of Mercy: Buddha’s Amazing Disciple,” March 1- to July 8, 2012. See object file for copy of February 1, 2012 email from Becky Gregson to Yanagi Takashi. Yanagi Takashi, of Takashi Yanagi Oriental Fine Arts in Kyoto, Japan, is alsoknown as “T. Yanagi Antique Art”. His son, Koichi (1965-2022), opened his eponymous gallery Koichi Yanagi Oriental Fine Art in New York City in 1991.

  [5] See object file for copy of Freer Gallery of Art purchase order to vendor Yanagi Takashi, dated August 6, 2012, and approved by the Director May 17, 2012. Additionally, see object file for copy of May 2012 Freer Gallery of Art Arthur M. Sackler Gallery submission to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and the Commission of Fine Arts. The object, identified as “Ajita Sonja, the 15th Arhat by Shibata Zeshin, RLS2012.2,” was among the objects approved by the Commission of Fine Arts on May 17, 2012.

  Research updated October 25, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Masters of Mercy: Buddha's Amazing Disciples (March 10 to July 8, 2012)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Takashi Yanagi

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment and Harold P. Stern Memorial fund

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

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  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1850s, 1680s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Takashi, Yanagi

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Art, Copy, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art

• Culture

  Buddhists, Arhats, Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings