53 - AN IMPRESSIVE, LARGE AND RARE MALACHITE-INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY AMONG LEAFY FRUITING VINES

AN IMPRESSIVE, LARGE AND RARE MALACHITE-INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY AMONG LEAFY FRUITING VINES Unsigned Japan, late 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Boldly carved as a large monkey seated amid a dense arrangement of leafy vines, clusters of fruit gathered around one foot, its powerful body hunched forward. One long arm reaches down toward the fruiting vine below, while the other is bent upward in an amusingly awkward posture against the rock from which the vines emerge. The animal is sensitively modeled, its expressive face set with large painted eyes and framed by finely incised hairwork, the dense fur continuing in flowing strokes across the limbs and body. The sprawling vines weave naturally around the monkey and across the base, their leaves finely veined and selectively embellished with vivid green malachite and green-stained antler inlays, providing a striking contrast to the richly patinated wood. Large himotoshi underneath. HEIGHT 4.5 cm, LENGTH 4.9 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor expected wear. The use of malachite in early netsuke is exceptionally rare. Fuld’s Netsuke and Ojime Database records only seven wood netsuke incorporating malachite inlays. Here, the brilliant green stone is used sparingly and with great effect to pick out individual leaves among the twisting vines, creating a vivid contrast with the dark, richly patinated wood. The rarity of the material is all the more striking in an 18th-century netsuke, making the present work an important early example of this unusual decorative technique. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related malachite-inlaid wood netsuke of two kappa by Kotekisai Rakumin, dated to the 18th-19th century, 4.1 cm long, in the British Museum, registration number F.748. The distinctive use of malachite inlay, together with the closely related carving style and treatment of the surface, suggests that the present netsuke may well be by the same hand.