| Antique
Japanese Carved Netsuke Kinko
Sennin Riding
on Carp
Seal Mark: Yamaguchi. Circa: Showa, early 1900's
H 1.75 in.(4.5cm), W 1.75 in.(4.5cm), D 1 in.(2.5cm)
Condition: excellent! Kinko
was an artist who painted fish but would neither eat or harm them. For reason
of his virtue, the Dragon King sent forth a giant carp and invited Kinko to visit
his palace in the sea world. During the return from his sojourn, the Bodhisattva
Kannon bestowed Kinko a buddhist scroll, and made him a sennin (immortal) for
his compassion. This is an intricately carved netsuke with elaborate scrimshaw
motifs on quality material. The netsuke is lightly stained in two tones, and has
a naturally aged charming brown hue, with an incised seal mark in red sumi under
the head of the carp. It’s noteworthy that the scroll held in his hand is paper-thin;
but despite its age there is no defect found, and overall it remains in excellent
condition. Like many unrecorded carvers, Yamaguchi is a little known netsukeshi,
who likely worked during the late Meiji or Showa eras when large numbers of netsuke
were produced for the European demands. Private Collection
|