Page 137 - Fine Japanese Art March 27, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Okimono

TOKYO SCHOOL

140 | SHUNSAI: A FINE INLAID
WOOD NETSUKE OF A
CARPENTER
By Shunsai, signed Shunsai
Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period
(1868-1912)

Very finely carved as a carpenter balancing
on a log, supported by another log on the
underside, and cutting through the wood with
a saw. The texture of the wood is achieved
naturalistically, the saw is inlaid in tortoiseshell,
and the man wears a sagemono set tied to his
obi, inlaid in coral and mother-of-pearl. The
underside with a singular himotoshi ringed in
ivory and the signature SHUNSAI 春齋 within a
rectangular ivory inlaid cartouche.
HEIGHT 3.5 cm, LENGTH 3.4 cm

Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: European collection.
Literature comparison: A very similar netsuke
is shown in Lazarnick, George (1982) Netsuke
& Inro Artists, and How to Read Their
Signatures, Vol. 2, p. 1000.
Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.000,-

141 | SHUNSAI: AN UNUSUAL
LACQUERED WOOD
OKIMONO-NETSUKE
OF JIZO AND ONI
139 | KYOKUSEI: A FINE INLAID WOOD
NETSUKE OF A KUROMBO DIVER By Shunsai, signed Shunsai
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)
By Kyokusei, signed Kyokusei
Japan, Tokyo, second half of 19th century
An unusual dark wood netsuke with lacquered
details depicting an oni cowering in front of a
A dark wood netsuke exhibiting a variety of skill in various materials. tsuitate (standing screen) while the Bodhisattva
Depicted is a standing coral diver holding a piece of coral attached Jizo stands behind it, peeking, and scaring the oni
to an ebony rope, draped over his shoulder. He has an amusing with his red-lacquered tongue stretched out. The
expression, sticking his red-lacquered tongue out, and the eyes tiger-skin loincloth of the oni is lacquered in gold
are ringed in gold lacquer and double inlaid in bone with dark with black stripes and the front of the tsuitate
horn pupils. A tobacco pouch, executed in negoro lacquer, with shows a tranquil mountainous scene lacquered
a bone ashtray netsuke hangs from his obi. The obi is inlaid in in gold hiramaki-e. Jizo’s eyes are inlaid, his belt is
green-stained bone, as is the inlaid cartouche with incised signature lacquered in red and his kimono shows a golden
KYOKUSEI 旭生. Good, asymmetrical himotoshi to the reverse. spiderweb. The underside with a floral himotoshi
ringed in bone and the signature SHUNSAI 春齋.
HEIGHT 6.8 cm
HEIGHT 4.8 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: European collection. Condition: A section of the base is reattached.
Minor wear to lacquered details. Good condition.
The carver is probably related to Jugyoku and Ryukei II. Provenance: French private collection.
Literature comparison: For a similar netsuke see Davey, Neil K. Literature comparison: A similar netsuke is shown
(1974) Netsuke: A comprehensive study based on the M.T. Hindson in Lazarnick, George (1982) Netsuke & Inro Artists,
Collection, p. 199, no. 511. and How to Read Their Signatures, Vol. 2, p. 1000.
Estimate EUR 2.000,- Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.000,- Starting price EUR 1.000,-

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