Description EKIFUMI: A RARE AND FINE SHIBAYAMA INLAID LACQUER TRAY DEPICTING A KAPPA HUNTBy Ekifumi (Ekibun), signed EkifumiJapan, Meiji period (1868-1912)Of lobed (mokko) form with four short bracket feet and a silver rim, the interior bearing a kinji ground richly decorated in gold and brown hiramaki-e and takamaki-e with kirikane and e-nashiji, as well as inlays of aogai, lacquer, bone, wood, gilt-metal, and horn to depict a chaotic scene with a kappa emerging from a river, grabbing a terrified man's leg, attempting to drown him as he screams while further men run toward them carrying flaming torches under the direction of a samurai standing on a bridge above them, a helpless attendant by his side, a woman carrying firewood at the foot of the bridge, two torches have fallen to the ground, suggesting an even more horrific turn of events, all amid blossoming cherries and a willow, with huts, trees, and mountains in the background, framed by a band of various brocade patterns and floral designs below the rim, the signature EKIFUMI incised within a red-lacquer fan-shaped reserve, the base of nashiji.LENGTH 24.1 cmCondition: Very good condition with minor wear, occasional light scratches, few minor losses to inlays.Provenance: Dutch private collection, acquired at Mak van Waay, 25 February 1969, Amsterdam, lot 3340.This artist of the Shibayama school appears to be unrecorded. However, like other Shibayama artists, his name uses the character Eki (Yasu).A kappa is a reptiloid kami with similarities to yokai found in traditional Japanese folklore. Kappa can become harmful when they are not respected as gods. They are typically depicted as green, human-like beings with webbed hands and feet and a turtle-like carapace on their back. Their actions range from comparatively minor misdemeanors, such as looking up women's kimonos if they venture too near to water, to outright malevolence, such as drowning people and animals, kidnapping children, raping women and at times eating human flesh. According to folklore there are two ways to escape a kappa encounter unharmed. One is to feed it with a cucumber, which is the kappa's favorite food, and the other is to bow, as kappa are exceedingly polite creatures and find it difficult to resist returning the favor.