Until 31st Dec, 2025
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A SUPERB TALL WOOD NETSUKE OF AN EMACIATED SOUTH SEA ISLANDER
Lot 90 - NE0525
Unsigned
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Published: Bandini, Rosemary (2001) Expressions of Style, Netsuke as Art, Scholten Japanese Art, New York, no. 5.
The islander standing tall, wearing a short sarong skirt, lifting his lanky hands to his head as he turns to the side, smiling broadly with his tongue sticking out, the eyes inlaid with dark buffalo horn. The expressively carved face shows distinct features with prominent eyes, heavy cheeks, a broad nose, and long hair swept backwards and terminating in thick curls. The back shows the expressed spine and very large himotoshi. The darkened wood bearing a superb natural hand patina.
HEIGHT 12 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor typical wear and expected traces of use.
The present islander is different in concept to most other recorded netsuke of islanders, here imbued with movement and depicted in a ghastly manner, emaciated, much akin to depictions of gaki (hunger ghosts) or hags such as Shozuka no Baba.
Museum comparison:
Compare a closely related wood netsuke of an islander, likely derived from the same source material and carved by the same hand or studio, formerly in the Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), accession no. 1998.249.291.
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