58 - Ɏ A FINE AND LARGE IVORY NETSUKE OF A LAUGHING CHINESE MAN WITH A BASKET, CIRCLE OF INSAI

Ɏ A FINE AND LARGE IVORY NETSUKE OF A LAUGHING CHINESE MAN WITH A BASKET, CIRCLE OF INSAI Unsigned Japan, Osaka, 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Finely carved in a tall, elongated form, the Chinese man standing with his weight shifted to one side, the gentle sway of his body and hearty laughter lending the figure a striking theatrical presence. He raises one hand to playfully grasp his long queue, drawn into an elaborate coil behind his head, while the other holds the cords of a neatly woven basket suspended at his side. He wears a long coat fastened with a row of rounded buttons and cut with a broad collar and wide cuffs, its surface richly decorated with finely incised and darkly stained spiral medallions, over loose trousers and rounded shoes. The strongly characterized face is powerfully modeled with narrowed eyes, fleshy cheeks, a short beard, and the mouth open in laughter revealing a characteristic upper row of teeth. Large, asymmetrical himotoshi to the back. The ivory bearing a fine, warm patina. HEIGHT 8.9 cm Provenance: From a noted French private collection. Condition: Excellent condition with typical wear and natural age cracks. One inlaid coat button possibly replaced. Insai was long regarded as a highly specialized carver known chiefly for a small group of distinctive sarumawashi, or monkey trainers. A broader body of related works now points instead to an important Osaka studio working predominantly in ivory, but also in wood and other materials, united by animated compositions, distinctive facial types, and richly detailed surface treatment. The present netsuke belongs convincingly within this wider stylistic group. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a Chinese woman, similarly dressed in a broad-collared robe and carrying a basket, illustrated in Joly, Henri L. (1912), The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part I: Netsuke, pl. XLV. Compare also an unsigned 18th-century ivory netsuke of a Portuguese, 11.5 cm high, with a closely related swaying stance, long buttoned coat, and treatment of the drapery, illustrated in Kurstin, Joe (1999), Masterworks of Netsuke and Other Japanese Miniature Art from American Collections, no. 27. Both of these comparisons can be attributed to the Insai studio. Auction comparison: Compare a related ivory netsuke described as a female with tied hair holding a coiled leafy spray, 11.8 cm high, at Christie’s, Asian Art, 14 April 2005, London, lot 41 (part lot, sold for GBP 7,800 or approx. EUR 16,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Compare also a rare painted wood netsuke of a Chinese man seated in a chair, by Insai, 5.2 cm high, at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Works of Art, 13 September 2011, New York, lot 2018 (sold for USD 11,875 including buyer’s premium, or approx. EUR 15,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number IT/CE/2024/MI/00325). This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.