Antique
Japanese Ivory Netsuke Hotei
Drinking w. Minogame and Karako
Netsuke Signature: unsigned, Circa: 19th
Century
H 1.25 in.(3cm.), W 1.5 in.(4cm), D 1 in.(2.5cm)
Condition: usage worn, o.a. good Private Collection
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During
the second half of the 18th century, the realism of western art brought over by
the Dutch began to influence netsuke carvers and Japanese art in general, particularly
in the Kyoto region, where the art of netsuke carving was an established industry.
Taking his cues from those around him, the carver of this unsigned piece demonstrates
the obsessive detail work that characterized the region: The folds and tied bows
of the children’s clothes, the crouched contours of their bending bodies, and
the depth of expression within the tiny space of the polished ivory. The ever
beaming Hotei is flanked and assisted by two spirited karako, the kneeling child
reaching down to pet the minogame while the standing child pours the master’s
cup full of sake. Hotei smiles. An excellently carved 19th century piece in near
perfect condition.
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