Page 85 - Fine Japanese Netsuke, Sagemono, Oikimono April 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

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AN EXCELLENT WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY EATING BERRIES AN EXCELLENT IVORY NETSUKE OF A MONKEY EATING A PEACH
BY KANO TOMOKAZU BY RANTEI
"Y 4OMOKAZU WOOD NETSUKE "Y 2ANTEI IVORY NETSUKE
th
Japan, Gifu, 19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD Japan, Kyoto, early 19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD
th
The monkey is the ninth sign of the Japanese zodiac and used to be The monkey is holding a peach, the branch visible on the underside,
considered to dispel ill will, ease births and be a messenger to the gods. between his left arm and right leg and is taking a healthy bite, while
This masterfully carved netsuke with fine fur pattern shows him putting scratching himself with his other hand. The netsuke perfectly embodies
berries in his mouth with great relish. He is holding the berry bush the visible satisfaction of the monkey. Hogen Rantei became famous
between his chest and his arms and the beautiful and crisply carved for his incredibly detailed and naturalistic representations of animals.
leaves and berries emerge between his legs and under his arms. The He was a master of hairwork, Lazarnick even compares his hairwork
monkey is male, with expressed genitals that look eerily similar to the to that of Kaigyokusai, a comparison which is especially evident in this
berries, and has eyes inlaid with pale translucent horn, the red-brown PIECE "UT WHAT REALLY DISTINGUISHED HIM WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN SOME
wood is stained black. Natural himotoshi between the legs, signed of his best netsuke, are little details which make the depiction come to
TOMOKAZU within an outlined reserve on one of the thighs. Kano life – like the monkey biting into the fruit producing tiny wrinkles on one
Tomokazu from Gifu is regarded as one of the greatest animal netsuke side of the mouth, as he bites slightly lopsided into it. The eyes are inlaid
carvers of all time and was said to have studied the animals very closely in deep black horn, producing a wild expression, and the very typical
and sometimes took one or two months to finish a carving. signature can be found in a rounded reserve in sosho script RANTEI.
Natural himotoshi through the legs.
HEIGHT 2.9, LENGTH 4 CM
HEIGHT 2.8 CM
Condition: One ear has a small restoration only visible under UV light -
otherwise very good condition Condition: Very good condition, expected age cracks
Provenance: German private collection 0ROVENANCE "RITISH PRIVATE COLLECTION WITH TWO VALUATIONS FROM
3OTHEBY S BY .EIL + $AVEY DATED INVENTORY NO
Auction comparison: For a similar netsuke by Kano Tomokazu of a
MONKEY EATING BERRIES SEE "ONHAMS &INE *APANESE !RT ,ONDON Auction comparison: A similar model of a monkey and mushroom by
November 2016, lot 296. 2ANTEI SOLD AT "ONHAMS &INE *APANESE 7ORKS OF !RT 3EPTEMBER
Literature comparison: A very similar work, titled “monkey eating 2011, lot 2043.
berries” is pictured in Netsuke & Inro Artists and how to read their Literature comparison: A similar netsuke of a monkey by rantei eating
signatures’ by George Lazarnick, 1981, page 1154. a persimmon is reproduced in Zacke, Japanische Netsuke – Austellung
1990, Vienna, no. 62
Estimate EUR 3.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.500,- Estimate EUR 3.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.500,-

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