Page 263 - Fine Japanese Art October 28, 2020 Galerie Zacke
P. 263

269  |  AN INLAID PANEL WITH ASHINAGA AND    these two countries possess unusually lengthy arms and legs. The
                           TENAGA PICKING PEACHES                 two work together as a team to catch fish by the seashore. In order
                                                                  to do this, the long-armed man, Tenaga, climbs onto the back of
                     Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)              the long-legged man, Ashinaga. Ashinaga then wades out into the
                                                                  shorewaters, staying above water with his long legs, while tenaga
                                                                  uses his long arms to grab fish from his partner’s back.
                     The finely grained hinoki wood panel inlaid with ivory, stag antler
                     and boxwood, partially lacquered, depicting a relief of Ashinaga and   SIZE 65 x 36 cm
                     Tenaga working together to grab a peach from a leafy branch.
                                                                  Condition: Two minimal losses, otherwise superb condition with
                     Ashinaga-tenaga are a pair of yokai in Japanese folklore. One,   only some wear and minimal dents and chipping.
                     Ashinaga-jin, has extremely long legs, while the other, Tenaga-jin,   Provenance: Old Austrian private collection. Old collector’s label
                     has extremely long arms. They were first described in the Japanese   “149 w. Loozi” to the reverse.
                     encyclopedia Wakan Sansai Zue. The pair is commonly described
                     as people from two countries, the “Long-legged Country”, and the   Estimate EUR 1,000
                     “Long-armed Country”. As the names suggest, the inhabitants of   Starting price EUR 500





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