Page 209 - Fine Japanese Art March 27, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Okimono

234 | A RARE NEGORO
LACQUERED WOOD
NETSUKE OF RYUJIN’S
ATTENDANT
Unsigned
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Published:
Östasiatiska Museet (1999) Netsuke, p. 49.
Zacke (1990) Japanische Netsuke und
Okimono, Sagemono, no. 54.
Exhibited:
Östasiatiska Museet, Sweden, Stockholm,
16 October 1999 – 9 January 2000.

The very light wood (probably hinoki wood)
is expressively carved and lacquered in
negoro-nuri, depicting one of the two
attendants of the dragon king of the sea,
Ryujin. The attendant is shown with a large,
expressively carved face, his arms are
crossed in the front, and he wears a loincloth
and another cloth over his shoulders. His
rib cage is expressed very well. The surface
is applied with gold lacquer accents. In the
back is a scaly slender dragon, its head
resting on the attendant’s head. Himotoshi
between the tail of the dragon.

HEIGHT 10.3 cm
Condition: Excellent condition with minor
expected wear to lacquer
Provenance: Ex collection Mrs. Gunvor
Bjorkman, purchased at Galerie Zacke in
1990.

Estimate EUR 1.500,-
Starting price EUR 750,-

235 | A VERY RARE LACQUERED WOOD
NETSUKE OF A HUMAN-FACED SHISHI
Unsigned eyes on its flanks. The wood is covered in a thin coat of red lacquer,
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) worn in some areas, creating an appealing heterogenous surface.
The eyes are lacquered in black. The underside shows the large and
Published: Östasiatiska Museet (1999) Netsuke, p. 55. worn himotoshi.
Exhibited: Östasiatiska Museet, Sweden, Stockholm, 16 October
1999 – 9 January 2000. HEIGHT 3.8 cm
Condition: Very good, worn condition.
A wonderfully weird netsuke, possibly unique in its design. Depicted Provenance: Ex-collection Mrs. Gunvor Bjorkman.
is a Shishi with a finely carved bushy tail and fur which parts in
the middle. Its right paw is placed on a small ball. The mythical Auction comparison: A related netsuke of a Kudan sold at Quinn’s
being has the face of a human resembling the grotesque face Auction Galleries, The Mang Collection of Japanese Netsuke, 7
of foreigner, the nose certainly reminiscent of netsuke depicting December 2012, lot 483.
Dutchmen and the beard of Chinese men. Perhaps also, this being
is related to the legendary Kudan, which has the face of a human, Estimate EUR 1.500,-
however the Kudan usually has a horn, the body of a bull and three Starting price EUR 750,-

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