 | Antique
Japanese Carved Netsuke
Shoki
Monkey On Shoulders
Netsuke Signature: unsigned, Circa: 18th
century
H
2.75in.(7cm), W 1 in.(2.5cm), D 0.75 in.(2cm)
Condition: usage worn, hairlines, o.a. good! This
18th century netsuke of Shoki, the Demon Queller clutching his characteristic
sword, and uncharacteristically, a monkey is perched on his shoulders. The monkey
is a sign of ugliness and trickery, and perhaps is a stand-in for the more commonly
seen oni and Shoki combination. It is also possible that the monkey is a pun,
stemming from the children’s folk tale ‘Kin Shoki Shoki’ (literally translated
as ‘The Sound of Washing Rice‘), a story about a monkey and an old man in the
mountains.
The figure of Shoki is expertly etched and aged beautifully, a creamy yellow
patina covering the many nooks and crannies. A well preserved antique netsuke,
the flattened perspective of his backside is reminiscent of Japanese wood block
prints. Carved through detail like his two legs protruding from his robe, and
the contours of the monkey create bending points of perspective, while his robe
is etched with an enticing fluffy cloud motif. The piece is unsigned, as was the
common practice for netsuke at the time.
Sold
To Private Collection |
