Page 50 - Fine Japanese Art March 27, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Okimono

45 | TOMOTADA: AN IVORY NETSUKE 46 | UNSHO HAKURYU II: A SUPERB IVORY
OF A TIGER AND CUB NETSUKE OF A TIGER WITH CUB
School of Tomotada, signed Tomotada By Unsho Hakuryu II, signed Hakuryu
Japan, Kyoto, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Japan, Kyoto, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

A powerful and well-worn ivory netsuke depicting a tigress with her A powerful and dynamically crafted ivory netsuke of a tigress
paw placed protectively on her cub. The thick tail curls up by her placing one paw protectively on her cub. The mother’s body is
side and the fur coat is expressed naturalistically. The surface has muscular with pronounced shoulder bones, and her entire body
developed a fine patina with honey spots. The tiger has typically is contorted into a circle, her thick tail swinging around over her
large, thick eyebrows and the pupils are inlaid in dark horn. The back, as she lets out a powerful, yet comedically docile snarl. The
cub which nestles up to her underneath, looks to the right with cub below her is almost entirely nestled underneath her body, his
an amusingly whimsical expression, the pupils too are inlaid. chin resting on his paws, tail swinging around to its side and with a
Appropriately large himotoshi through one thigh and underneath sensitive, slightly mischievous expression enhanced by finely inlaid
the belly. Signed underneath within a rectangular reserve eyes of pale horn with black pupils, just like his mother. The ivory is
TOMOTADA 友忠. deeply stained, and the stripes are polished to emulate the tiger’s
natural fur coat. Natural himotoshi and signed on the mother’s
HEIGHT 3.9 cm, LENGTH 4.8 cm behind HAKURYU 白龍 inside a polished reserve.
Condition: Worn condition with age cracks. The right paw of the cub HEIGHT 3 cm, LENGTH 4.7 cm
possibly chipped. Very good patina.
Provenance: European collection. Condition: Very good condition with expected age cracks and minor
flaws to the ivory.
Auction comparison: An ivory netsuke of comparable quality was Provenance: French private collection.
offered by Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 11 May 2010, London, lot
212. Hakuryu’s tigers are completely unique in their individuality,
style and expression and matched only perhaps by the tigers by
Estimate EUR 8.000,- Matsushita Otoman. The existence of many imitations and copies of
Starting price EUR 4.000,- Hakuryu’s tiger(s) perhaps give this distinct type a bad reputation,
however this netsuke is of superior quality and without a doubt
by Hakuryu II, a pupil of the first Hakuryu who is said to have
originated from the Rantei school.
Auction comparison: A similar netsuke with two tigers was sold by
Zacke, Fine Netsuke, Sagemono & Okimono, 27 April 2019, Vienna,
lot 86. Another netsuke with three tigers was sold at Zacke, Fine
Netsuke, Sagemono & Okimono, 2 November 2019, Vienna, lot 105.
Estimate EUR 8.000,-
Starting price EUR 4.000,-

46 47