AN IVORY NETSUKE OF TWO RATS BY TOMOKAZU Lot n° 2

Ivory netsuke Japan, Kyoto 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Illustrated in ‘Netsuke und Sagemono von Meistern aus Japan‘ by Wolmar Zacken (1992), no. 109 A lively and amusing group with two nezumi; one large, the other significantly smaller and behind the first rat. Both have black inlaid eyes full of life and very expressively shaped heads with sharp ears. The larger rat is about to eat the bean in front of it. The fur on both animals is a good, fluid piece of work, skillfully depicting the soft, silky texture of rat fur. The little rat is quite charming, clumsily climbing on its mother. The tails are crafted three-dimensionally, yet close to the rats so that they will not break off. The signature TOMOKAZU is found in the typically rounded reserve between the larger rats’ legs, with a himotoshi on its belly. This work most likely is one of the rare ivory pieces from the school Kano Tomokazu established in Kyoto. LENGTH 4.4 CM Condition: Good condition, age crack on the back Provenance: Austrian private collection