A SUPERB AND VERY LARGE INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF GAMA SENNIN
A SUPERB AND VERY LARGE INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF GAMA SENNIN
Unsigned
Japan, Tsu, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The strikingly tall figure superbly carved as an amused Gama Sennin with his toad playfully clambering on his shoulder. The toad, with one arm under sennin's neck and the other on top of his head, seems to be unwilling to extricate itself from his master's shoulder. Gama is shown with his mouth agape in a humorous, wide-open grin, his face set with large eyes of inlaid bone with reddish horn pupils, as he holds one of the toad's legs, in an attempt to pull it down, while the toad embraces his master's head in impish resistance. The immortal is clothed in a loosely fitted robe with long draping sleeves, typical of hermits, the leaves inlaid with stained bone and horn. The amphibian's skin is finely textured, and the eyes are inlaid in gilt with reddish horn pupils. Two very large and asymmetrical himotoshi ringed in green-stained bone to the back.
HEIGHT 14.8 cm
Condition: One foot with a repair and possibly minor repairs to inlays. Generally very good condition and presenting beautifully.
Provenance: Toledano, Arcachon, October 1988. Ex-collection Guy de Lasteyrie, acquired from the above. De Lasteyrie is a member of the Lasteyrie du Saillant family and is considered among the leading French collectors of netsuke.
Auction comparison:
For a closely related example of a Daruma with similar expression and similar inlays, by Tanaka Juntoku Minko, see Bonhams, The Jamese A. Rose Collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, 17 September 2012, New York, lot 2069 (sold for USD 10,000).
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A SUPERB AND VERY LARGE INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF GAMA SENNIN
Unsigned
Japan, Tsu, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The strikingly tall figure superbly carved as an amused Gama Sennin with his toad playfully clambering on his shoulder. The toad, with one arm under sennin's neck and the other on top of his head, seems to be unwilling to extricate itself from his master's shoulder. Gama is shown with his mouth agape in a humorous, wide-open grin, his face set with large eyes of inlaid bone with reddish horn pupils, as he holds one of the toad's legs, in an attempt to pull it down, while the toad embraces his master's head in impish resistance. The immortal is clothed in a loosely fitted robe with long draping sleeves, typical of hermits, the leaves inlaid with stained bone and horn. The amphibian's skin is finely textured, and the eyes are inlaid in gilt with reddish horn pupils. Two very large and asymmetrical himotoshi ringed in green-stained bone to the back.
HEIGHT 14.8 cm
Condition: One foot with a repair and possibly minor repairs to inlays. Generally very good condition and presenting beautifully.
Provenance: Toledano, Arcachon, October 1988. Ex-collection Guy de Lasteyrie, acquired from the above. De Lasteyrie is a member of the Lasteyrie du Saillant family and is considered among the leading French collectors of netsuke.
Auction comparison:
For a closely related example of a Daruma with similar expression and similar inlays, by Tanaka Juntoku Minko, see Bonhams, The Jamese A. Rose Collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, 17 September 2012, New York, lot 2069 (sold for USD 10,000).
Estimate
Reserve
Time, Location
Auction House
