Ɏ A RARE KYOTO SCHOOL IVORY THREE-CASE INRO REFERENCING THE TEN OX HERDING PICTURES, WITH EN-SUITE NETSUKE BY GARAKU

Lot details The netsuke by Garaku, signed Garaku 我乐 Japan, Kyoto, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Of upright rectangular form and oval section, finely carved and stained in high relief against a stippled ground, the three-case inro decorated with a continuous depiction of a young herder guiding an ox through a meadow. The herder is greeted by another boy seated under a tree, a basket visible behind, as he relaxes under the cool shade of the leafy branches. The ox’s fur etched and inked for detail. The beautifully matching, en-suite netsuke depicting a young herder holding the rope halter of a recumbent ox as he clambers onto its back. The eyes of the animal inlaid in dark horn, its fur finely etched and inked, the face carved with wideset eyes and the tongue licking its snout. Asymmetrical himotoshi to the superbly carved underside and signed within the typical oban-shaped reserve GARAKU. With a reticulated ivory ojime. HEIGHT 6.9 cm, LENGTH 5.1 cm; LENGTH 5.7 cm (the netsuke) Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and expected age cracks. The netsuke with a small chip to the ox’s tongue. Provenance: Bernard Fournier, July 1984. 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. The imagery on the inro and netsuke plays on a Zen Buddhist parable which draws a parallel between the herdboy and ox and the attainment of enlightenment. It is most famously portrayed in the series of ten ox herding pictures (originally only eight) accompanied by a series of short poems by Kakuan Shien. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a boy oxherd, signed Garaku, at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art, London, 6 November 2013, lot 60 (sold GBP 4,375). Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2207508122-K ).The netsuke by Garaku, signed Garaku 我乐 Japan, Kyoto, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Of upright rectangular form and oval section, finely carved and stained in high relief against a stippled ground, the three-case inro decorated with a continuous depiction of a young herder guiding an ox through a meadow. The herder is greeted by another boy seated under a tree, a basket visible behind, as he relaxes under the cool shade of the leafy branches. The ox’s fur etched and inked for detail. The beautifully matching, en-suite netsuke depicting a young herder holding the rope halter of a recumbent ox as he clambers onto its back. The eyes of the animal inlaid in dark horn, its fur finely etched and inked, the face carved with wideset eyes and the tongue licking its snout. Asymmetrical himotoshi to the superbly carved underside and signed within the typical oban-shaped reserve GARAKU. With a reticulated ivory ojime. HEIGHT 6.9 cm, LENGTH 5.1 cm; LENGTH 5.7 cm (the netsuke) Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and expected age cracks. The netsuke with a small chip to the ox’s tongue. Provenance: Bernard Fournier, July 1984. 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. The imagery on the inro and netsuke plays on a Zen Buddhist parable which draws a parallel between the herdboy and ox and the attainment of enlightenment. It is most famously portrayed in the series of ten ox herding pictures (originally only eight) accompanied by a series of short poems by Kakuan Shien. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a boy oxherd, signed Garaku, at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art, London, 6 November 2013, lot 60 (sold GBP 4,375). Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2207508122-K ).

Natural Light Images for Logged-in Users Only You can find images of this item taken under natural daylight below. Click on an image to zoom in or save. If there are no natural light images for this item, please email us at office@zacke.at or use the request form below. Log in or sign up to view the natural light images.