Page 189 - Fine Japanese Art Auction November 2 2019 Galerie Zacke

MYTHICAL BEINGS - FANTASTIC CREATURES OF DIVINE CREATION

231 | MASATOYO: A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT An ebony wood netsuke of a contorted smooth-skinned Kirin with
EBONY WOOD NETSUKE OF A KIRIN flames emanating from its sides. The body forms a sinuous loop,
functioning as natural himotoshi, its chin rests on its four feet and
By Masatoyo, signed Tomita no ju Masatoyo and inscribed Unkei the tail forms another loop curling towards the end – what superior
beneath the jaw design! The Kirin has a powerful, somewhat crazed expression, with
Japan, Tomita, Iwami province, late 18th century, Edo period (1615- double inlaid eyes and a half-opened mouth showing its fangs with
1868) a loose ball inside. Signed and inscribed in tiny ukibori characters
beneath the hindlegs MASATOYO ຩ牉, resident of Tomita; and
Published: beneath the jaw Unkei in sosho characters, possibly a tribute to the
Henri L. Joly, W. L Behrens Collection (1912/1966), p. 55. famous medieval sculptor Unkei.
Lazarnick, George, Netsuke and Inro Artists, Honolulu 1982, pp.88
(illustrated in color) and 1204. HEIGHT 4.9 cm
NKSJ, vol.4, no.3, Fall 1984, p.25, fig.1.
F. Meinertzhagen, MCI, Part A, p.480 (unillustrated). Condition: Superb condition.
Eskenazi Ltd., Japanese Netsuke from the Lazarnick Collection, Provenance: Brockhaus collection (sold by Christie’s in 25.11.1980),
London, 1990, p.74, no.54. then W. L. Behrens Collection, no.1442, then George Lazarnick
Rokusho 20, p.73, no.106. Collection, no.144, then Robert S. Huthart Collection.
Earle, Huthart, p.320, no.290.
Burditt, ICLS, p.43, fig.19. From the list of publications, the exhibition history and the list of
notable hands this piece went through, the importance of this Kirin
Exhibited: becomes evident. Furthermore, it is carved by the incredibly rare
The Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, 1985. artist Masatoyo and is the only netsuke of a Kirin from the Iwami
province, therefore inevitably ending up in the hands of Robert S.
Huthart. Before however it made its way from Brockhaus to the
Behrens collection, with Henri Joly and W.W. Winkworth writing
about it, then ending up in the Lazarnick collection, who had finally
deciphered the ukibori signature recognizing it as the work of
Masatoyo of Tomita. What a joy to be a part of this lineage!
Estimate EUR 25.000,-
Starting price EUR 12.500,-

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