GENRYOSAI MINKOKU: A RARE MARINE IVORY NETSUKE WITH OTSU E DESIGN OF FUJIHIME AND ONI NEMBUTSU

GENRYOSAI MINKOKU: A RARE MARINE IVORY NETSUKE WITH OTSU E DESIGN OF FUJIHIME AND ONI NEMBUTSU
By Genryosai Minkoku, signed Genryosai 玄了齋
Japan, Edo (Tokyo), 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Published: Katchen, Arlette (2010) Netsuke 7, Vol. 1, pp. 298-299, no. K938.

The marine ivory glossy and of a very appealing color, deep yellow in the back. The form may be a stylized image of a scroll on which Otsu-e motifs were depicted, as the netsuke shows a pronounced curvature, in part also due to the natural orientation of the material used. The front side is decorated with an image of Fujihime carrying a branch wisteria and her hat, the finial inlaid in mother-of-pearl. The reverse shows a repenting oni holding a gong, a mallet, and a Buddhist subscription list. Himotoshi through the reverse, above the signature GENRYOSAI.

HEIGHT 5.1 cm

Condition: Very good condition, with minor wear to inked features. Small crack through the mother-of-pearl inlay.
Provenance: Julius and Arlette Katchen collection, Paris, sold in their sale at Sotheby's London, 8th November 2005, Part I, lot 63 (sold for 6.720 GBP). Then collection Jacques H. Carré.

Otsu-e were popular woodblock prints or paintings during the Edo period, which were sold in the town of Otsu and featured Buddhist and humoristic images, often depicting Oni nembutsu and Fujihime, as in the present netsuke.
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