Page 55 - Fine Japanese Art Auction November 2 2019 Galerie Zacke

59 | AN IMPORTANT WOOD AND IVORY
SHUNGA NETSUKE OF A CHINESE LADY
WITH SHISHI CENSER ATTRIBUTED
TO KANJURO
Unsigned, attributed to Kanjuro
Japan, Osaka, mid to late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

A tall wood netsuke of Chinese lady with inlaid ivory hands and
a sensitively crafted ivory face with her hair neatly tied into a top
knot, the details lacquered in black. The ornately crafted robe is
made from wood with powerfully accentuated garment folds, finely
incised cloud designs and a neat floral collar. In front of her she
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top. Externally, this is already a fine and powerful netsuke, however
internally there is a surprise which lifts this netsuke to a new level –
an ingenious hidden mechanism, way ahead of its time! The bottom
section is removable, revealing her naked body. The long thin legs
are carved from pale ivory, appearing very sensitive. Her genitals
are revealed when tilting the netsuke. The lady would be completely
enveloped in her robe when worn outside in public, only her ivory
features would give a subtle clue to the ambiguity of the design.
Inside, perhaps after a good round of sake, the hidden interior
could be revealed. Large himotoshi through the back, one of them
through the naked ivory body.

HEIGHT 10.5 cm
Condition: Very good, complete condition. The mechanism is fully
functional. A bolt which had been put into place to hide the inner
mechanism has been removed. Some minor wear to the lacquered
details.
Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection.
Kanjuro (MCI page 307) specialized and probably originated the
method of carving figures in wood with hands and feet in ivory –
the extension of that being a hidden interior carved from ivory,
perfectly lending to the idea of shunga netsuke, which emerged
from the increased popularity of shunga designs in woodblock
prints. Kanjuro is one of the few names mentioned in the Soken
Kisho and is only known by his real name, therefore it is assumed
he never signed his netsuke. Netsuke attributed to Kanjuro are
extremely rare, and the artist was clearly ahead of his time, making
this netsuke an important artefact.
Literature comparison: Compare to a netsuke of Seiobo with the
same hidden mechanism and attributed to Kanjuro, sold by Zacke,
Netsuke und Inro aus Japan – Austellung 1985, Vienna, no. 35.
Another similar netsuke, this time with the same depiction, is
illustrated in the journal of the International Netsuke Collector’s
Society, volume 3, no. 1, page 9.
Estimate EUR 10.000,-
Starting price EUR 5.000,-

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