Overview

This style of mirror was popular in the early 17th century, often simply with the inscription Tenkaichi ("First under Heaven"), sometimes with the area name. The works of Tenkaichi Wakasa, who made this mirror, are virtually all limited to this style. He was a cast-bronze mirror maker whose career was relatively short. The figure of the tree, especially its trunk, is pressed from the back with a spatula into smooth, high relief, which is a feature unique to this period. However, the casting of the designed pattern is a little too blunt. The back of the mirror is pockmarked on the left a little below the middle, probably because there was a casting spout placed around there.