RAKUMIN: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A DRAGON EMERGING FROM AN ASH POT

RAKUMIN: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A DRAGON EMERGING FROM AN ASH POT

By Ho Rakumin (1804-1877), signed Rakumin 樂民
Japan, Edo/Tokyo, second half of 19th century

Finely carved to depict a fierce three-clawed dragon with a sinuous body emerging from a small ash pot, the beast well detailed with neatly incised scales, long whiskers and horns, and eyes inlaid in pale horn. Natural himotoshi. Signed to the base on an inlaid bone tablet RAKUMIN.

LENGTH 4.5 cm

Condition: Very good condition with only minor wear.
Provenance: Lempertz, Asian Art, 25 June 2021, Cologne, lot 879. German private collection, acquired from the above.

Fuld's Netsuke and Ojime Index quotes only one netsuke of a dragon by Rakumin, formerly in the W. L. Behrens collection, published in Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, no. 3079 (unillustrated). The catalog entry reads: “Wood, a slender smooth dragon coiled in a knot, signed Rakumin”. This may very well be the same piece as the present lot.

The present netsuke illustrates the proverb haifuki kara ryu ('a dragon issuing from an ash container'), which is analogous to the expression hyotan kara koma ('a horse out of a gourd'), both conveying the idea of something unexpected happening.