KYOKUSEI: A SUPERB AND LARGE LACQUERED AND INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF BENTEN

KYOKUSEI: A SUPERB AND LARGE LACQUERED AND INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF BENTEN By Kyokusei, signed Kyokusei 旭生 Japan, Tokyo, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) A large and expressive wood netsuke depicting the lucky goddess Benten, slightly hunched, holding a fan, as she looks forward with a serene expression. The deity is dressed in a voluminous robe with billowing sleeves, finely decorated with foliate sprays to the hems, the back decorated with scrolling clouds, all secured by a belt tied in a bow to the front. The ornate ‘stitched’ décor of the robe is executed in gold and silver maki-e (lacquer), Benten’s headdress is embellished with mother-of-pearl, and two studs to the goddesses’ forehead are inlaid in dark horn. The asymmetrical himotoshi, one in the form of a quatrefoil, are ringed in mother-of-pearl. Signed within an oval, red-lacquered tablet to the side KYOKUSEI. HEIGHT 7.7 cm Condition: Excellent condition with minor surface wear. Provenance: From the private collection of R. Mathieu, France. Alain Ducros, Paris, 1989. Private collection of Heidi Haupt-Battaglia (1921-2019), Switzerland, acquired from the above. A copy of the collector’s notes, dated 26 June 1992, confirming the provenance above, and stating a purchase price of CHF 7,500, (or approx. EUR 11,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Benzaiten (also known as Benten) is a Japanese Buddhist goddess who originated from the Hindu goddess Saraswati. Worship of Benzaiten arrived in Japan during the 6th through 8th centuries, mainly via the Chinese translations of the Sutra of Golden Light, which has a section devoted to her. Benzaiten is also mentioned in the Lotus Sutra and often depicted holding a biwa, a traditional Japanese lute, just as Saraswati holds a veena. Benzaiten is a syncretic entity with both a Buddhist and a Shinto aspect. She is the only female deity among the Seven Lucky Gods (shichifukujin), and is the patron of artists, writers, dancers, and geishas, among others. Literature comparison: For a related inlaid ebony wood netsuke of a coral fisher by the same artist, signed Kyokusei, see Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A comprehensive study based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, p. 171, no. 511.