Page 74 - Fine Japanese Art September 25, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Sagemono

131| A SUpERB hAKATA SChOOL IVORY
NETSUKE OF ShOKI AND ONI

Unsigned
Japan, Hakata, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
published: Joly, Henri L. (1966) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part
1, Netsuke, no. 3264 and illustrated on plate XXXIX.
Bulletin Société Franco-Japonaise, no. 1, pp. 30-31, fig. 11.

A powerfully crafted and dynamic carving, formerly in the Behrens
collection, depicting the demon queller Shoki furiously holding
the brim of his large hat, while an oni crouches above. Shoki is
standing on one foot, the other foot raised dynamically, and looks
upwards exclaiming, his large pupils of deep-black horn are placed
at the very edge, typical for the Hakata school of carvers, the most
notable one being of course Matsushita Otoman. The demon
queller has long hair and a bushy beard and eyebrows, all neatly
incised and inked. He holds his sword to his side, about to strike
the mischievous little demon which cowers above on his hat. The
backside with a fine yellowish patina and good himotoshi.
HEIGHT 7.6 cm
Condition: Very good
condition – minimal age
cracks and wear.
provenance: Ex collection
Walter Lionel Behrens (1861-
1913), then collection Paul
Corbin, sold at Hotel Drouot
(Ader, Picard, Tajan) 30-31
May 1983, lot 252 (sold for FF
30.000, since then in French
private collection.
Estimate EUR 15.000,- Portrait of
Starting price EUr 7.500,- Walter lionel Behrens

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