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Our next auction for Fine Asian Art: Supreme Glory, takes place on November 18th. Included in the sale is a carefully curated selection of Japanese prints from a private collection in north-eastern France, exploring a variety of different visual themes.
‘The Floating World Ukiyo-e’
浮世絵
‘Ukiyo-e’, meaning "pictures of the floating world," originated in Japan during the Edo period (17th to 19th century). These woodblock prints depicted scenes of everyday life, nature, kabuki actors, and courtesans, capturing the transient pleasures of the "floating world." Ukiyo-e developed as a popular art form accessible to the public, with masters like Hokusai and Hiroshige becoming renowned for their landscapes and depictions of life in Japan.
Ukiyo-e had a profound influence on Western art, particularly on the European Impressionists in the 19th century. Artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas admired the bold compositions, use of colour, and emphasis on everyday subjects in ukiyo-e, which helped shape their own artistic techniques and break from traditional European styles. This influence sparked the "Japanism" movement, marking a significant cross-cultural exchange in the art world.
Lot 9 is an excellent example of a ukiyo-e print series: A Rare Complete Series of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces [of Japan], with an estimated value of €4,000-6,000.
‘Shunga - Shh... this is a secret’
シーッ…これは言っちゃいけない秘密だよ
Lots 70-85 are a series of shunga prints.
Archaeological discoveries reveal that, like other ancient civilizations around the world, the worship of sex and fertility was a central theme in early Asian cultures. Over time, however, these themes became restricted by Confucianism and other religious doctrines, turning sex into a taboo topic. Sexuality was often reinterpreted as a love for procreation, symbolically expressed through motifs like pomegranates, goldfish, and grapes, which represented fertility and abundance.
In Asian countries, classic literature still contains erotic themes, though these were traditionally limited by moral and religious norms. Despite such constraints, writers used metaphors, symbolism, and subtle language to explore sensuality and desire. Works like China's *Dream of the Red Chamber*, *The Plum in the Golden Vase* (金瓶梅), and *The Peony Pavilion* (牡丹亭), as well as Japan's *The Tale of Genji* and India's *Kama Sutra*, delicately wove erotic themes into their narratives, allowing them to transcend social taboos. Additionally, visual art forms such as China's *Spring Palace Paintings* (春宫图)and Japan's *Shunga* (春画) depicted eroticism, reflecting cultural attitudes. The exploration of eroticism in literature and art has thus endured and become an integral part of Asia's rich cultural heritage.
‘Revolution’
Since the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty, Jesuit missionaries sparked a wave of cultural exchange between the West and China, with science playing a central role. While religion and science shaped public discourse, the imperial court embraced Western scientific knowledge, leading to the Palace Museum's collection of Western instruments, such as the rare gilt bronze and white enamel pocket sundial and compass in this auction.
These exchanges also influenced political and ideological shifts, as seen in Japan's Meiji Restoration. We are honoured to present two works by Mishima Go (1921-1981) under lot 107: two prints from "Mishima Gō gashū Wakamono" 三島剛画集 若者 (Mishima Go Book of Pictures of Young Men), with an estimate of €600-1,000. Tsuyoshi Mishima, working under the name Mishima Go, was one of the first contemporary gay artists in Japan, a pioneering Japanese artist who addressed LGBTQ+ themes. He contributed to “Barazoku” (The Rose Tribe), the first gay magazine published by Daini Shobo in Tokyo in 1971. In 1974, Mishima founded his own gay magazine called “Sabu.”
Buying at Auction and the Role of Antiques in a Modern Home
Important Irish Art Auction Highlights
Oliver Dowling Collection by Aidan Dunne
2024 is a year in which Adam’s wants to recognise the key role buying antique furniture and furnishings at auction contributes greatly to the sustainable initiative. In 2019 the Environmental Protection Agency reported stark figures that each year in Ireland 1.2 million reusable bulky items, primarily furniture goes into landfill. Similar to the problem of ‘fast fashion’, the constant production and consumption of new items is leading to rapidly growing waste problem. We want to acknowledge those who are already buying second hand or antique furniture at auction and to encourage new buyers by highlighting the benefits of acquiring affordable, well-made quality items that are built to last.
Irish author, recipe creator and lifestyle influencer, Indy Parsons, selects her favourite pieces from our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction
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Cork-born Irish actress, Sarah Greene, selects her favourite pieces from our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction
Yvonne Aupicq had met Orpen, we understand, while working as a nurse during the war. He had been admitted to hospital with a suspected case of scabies which ended up being a far more serious case of blood poisoning as he recounts in his wartime memoir ‘An Onlooker in France’. Their relationship continued after 1918 when Orpen was appointed as the official artist to The Paris Peace Conference. They relocated to capital and over the following decade he painted her numerous times, often nude as in Amiens 1914, or The Rape and Nude Girl Reading (1921). Working with her as his model during these early years after the war allowed Orpen an opportunity to re-fuel his creativity.
Editor-in-Chief of IMAGE Publications, Lizzie Gore-Grimes, selects her favourite pieces from our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction
Our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction on September 13th features a prime example of Van Cleef & Arpel's renowned 'Mystery Setting'
Our June auction offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the great masterpieces of Irish art and icons of Dublin’s history.
Georgia Chiesa selects some of her favourite lots in the upcoming Vintage Wine & Spirits Auction
"Beating the bounds is a tradition that can be traced back to the medieval period. At this time, land was divided into parishes and the clergy and church wardens held the responsibility for its upkeep and management. It was up to the Church to ensure that its parishioners knew the local boundary lines and, before maps became commonplace, this had to be kept as a mental record."
Adam’s in conjunction with Suzanne MacDougald are proud to host an online timed auction of artworks to aid the Irish Red Cross’s humanitarian work in delivering vital services to millions of people impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. With no buyers premium 100% of the hammer price will go directly to the Irish Red Cross.
Ros Drinkwater writes of Jack B Yeats' 'The Boat' in the Business Post:
With a consolidated result of €320,000,the At Home sale in Stephan’s Green, was a great success.
James Adam & Sons Ltd, Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers, 26 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2,
D02 X665, Ireland
