By Hokei, signed Hokei宝桂
Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Well-carved as a nio with his right leg stretched out and hands pulling at the sandal to tighten the weave, his face with a strained expression, the well-toned wood attractively stained, and the details boldly sculpted. The underside with one himotoshi, ringed in stained bone, and the signature HOKEI on an inlaid tablet.
LENGTH 3.7 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor traces of wear and use.
Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection, Paris.
Nio are athletic guardians, whose sculptures are seen by the entrance gates of Buddhist temples. It was thought that offering a sandal to their sculptures would heal the exhausted feet from the long pilgrimages to the temples.
Literature comparison:
Compare two closely related wood netsuke of a nio weaving a sandal, illustrated in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part A, p. 179.
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