34 - KAZUO MIZUTANI: A FINE INLAID WOOD ‘OWL’ SAGEMONO SET

KAZUO MIZUTANI: A FINE INLAID WOOD ‘OWL’ SAGEMONO SET By Kazuo Mizutani (b. 1932), signed Kazuo 一小 Japan, c. 1990s Comprising a tonkotsu (tobacco box), ojime, and manju netsuke, each finely carved in wood and richly embellished with contrasting inlays of bone, horn, and antler. The tonkotsu is carved in the form of a large owl perched upon a rocky base, its plumage meticulously rendered with overlapping feathers, the rounded eyes, hooked beak, and talons finely inlaid. The accompanying ojime is carved as a smaller owl, while the circular wood manju netsuke is decorated in relief with a further owl, its eyes double inlaid and its beak and claws accentuated with contrasting inlays. Signed to the netsuke and inro KAZUO. HEIGHT 6.5 cm (tonkotsu) HEIGHT 1.9 cm (ojime) DIAMETER 3.2 cm (netsuke) Condition: Excellent condition. Kazuo Mizutani (b. 1932) is a highly regarded contemporary Japanese netsuke artist celebrated for his finely carved wood works and sophisticated use of inlay. Working within the tradition of Japanese miniature sculpture while introducing a distinctly modern sensibility, Mizutani often explored natural subjects with exceptional attention to texture, anatomy, and surface detail. His works are represented in the prestigious Prince Takamado Collection at the Tokyo National Museum, including a tobacco-pouch netsuke dated 1990 and a complete tonkotsu, netsuke, and ojime ensemble dated 1995. Literature comparison: Compare a related wood netsuke of an owl by the same artist, illustrated in the International Netsuke Society Journal (1987) vol. 7, no. 2, p. 8, fig. 10.