Hizen Masahiro

Profile

The second smith of the Masahiro line, a branch of the Tadayoshi (忠吉) school in Saga, Hizen province, which worked for the Nabeshima clan. Son and pupil of the first Masahiro, he began by signing Masanaga (正永). In 1660 he received the title Musashi Daijō (武蔵大掾), raised the following year to Musashi no Kami (武蔵守). In 1665, after his father's death, he was granted Kawachi no Kami (河内守) and took the name Masahiro; from then on he signed Hizen no Kuni Kawachi no Kami Fujiwara Masahiro (肥前国河内守藤原正広). He died in 1699. His work follows the school's manner: a very tight, fine ko-itame, the konuka-hada (小糠肌) typical of Hizen, and hamon ranging from suguha to notare with ko-gunome ashi and gunome-midare, at times in more pictorial compositions. The Tokyo National Museum holds a katana signed by him.