Mokugyo
is a hollow wooden gong used in Buddhist chants. Here the netsuke depicts a young
monk adrift from his duty, appeares to be sitting with eyes closed, sleeping away
on top of a disproportionally large mokugyo. The boy is dressed in finely scrimshawed
monk robes, with body leaning backward and partially supported with both hands.
The netsuke is well conceived. Equally remarkable is the technical mastery
that carves around zones of varying tones of translucent stripes in an ivory material,
which is characteristically consistent with that of walrus ivory. Considering
that the material may well be the contributing factor in the netsuke's mint condition;
nevertheless, the finesse of its artistry testifies to the high estimation in
which it was held, thus its careful preservation by its former owners.
The
artist signature "Masatomo" is boldly signed near the base center. According to
the Netsuke Handbook of Ueda Reikichi, Masatomo came from Ise, lived in the 19th
century. He was known to have carved netsuke figures of hermits, animals and insects.
