Page 61 - Fine Japanese Art September 25, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Sagemono

109 | TADAKUNI: A SUpERB WOOD
NETSUKE OF A RECUMBENT OX
By Tadakuni, signed Tadakuni 忠國
Japan, Nagoya, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
published: Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A comprehensive study
based on the M. T. Hindson Collection, p. 190, no. 573.
Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B,
p. 837.
rutherston & Bandini (2011) The Sheila M. Baker Collection of
Japanese Netsuke and Inro, no. 43.

Exceptionally well-carved and depicting a recumbent ox with its
head rested on the ground and its legs neatly tucked underneath
the body for compactness. The ox has a pronounced spine with
well-defined ribs and the hairwork is masterful with immaculate
incision work. The animal’s expression is naturalistic and sensitive,
enhanced by the minutely inlaid eye-pupils of dark horn. The
finely stained wood is of a very appealing color, particularly to the
smoothly polished and curved horns. Natural himotoshi and signed
within a raised rectangular reserve in splendid ukibori characters
TADAKUNI.
LENGTH 6.2 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
provenance: Jr Hawker collection, Mark Hindson collection, Sheila
M. Baker collection, H. I. H. Princess Takamado collection (with an
inscribed tomobako storage box from the princess).
Estimate EUR 5.000,-
Starting price EUr 2.500,-

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