We have here a pair of solid gold dragon Menuki attributed to the Kaga Goto workshop. The Kaga Goto school worked in Kaga province, today’s Kanazawa on Japan’s northern coast. The workshop was founded by the 7th Goto mainline master Kenjo around 1627. Kenjo is regarded as one of the best masters of the Goto school who revitalised the very traditional workmanship with his great skill and care for detail and expression. He was working in Kyoto and Kanazawa on an alternating two year schedule. Under his influence many students and branches of the Goto school emerged.
These Menuki show the intricate signs of the Goto school such as the ‘Muso no Tagane’ (literally the chisel of dreams), the triangular chisel which was used to mark the horns and claws of the dragon. Due to the the high relief, the curved back surface, and the many through holes we can date these Menuki to the early or beginning of the mid Edo period. We can find that these Menuki must have been mounted on a Tanto once as some large copper pins were added to the back for stability.
Gold dragon Menuki are among the most prolific designs of the Goto school. The round dragon or ‘Ganryu’ is often found on the ceilings of temples as they are said to protect the building against fire.
They have been attributed to Kaga Goto by the NBTHK Hozon certificate.
Read more about the Goto school here: www.Tsuba.info/Goto
