60 - Ɏ A SUPERB AND LARGE IVORY NETSUKE OF A RECUMBENT DOG PLAYING WITH A BALL, ATTRIBUTED TO GECHU, EX BEHRENS COLLECTION

Ɏ A SUPERB AND LARGE IVORY NETSUKE OF A RECUMBENT DOG PLAYING WITH A BALL, ATTRIBUTED TO GECHU, EX BEHRENS COLLECTION Attributed to Gechu, unsigned Japan, 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Joly, Henri L. (1912), The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part I, Netsuke, London, 1913, no. 1570, illustrated on pl. XXIX. Superbly carved as a dog reclining on its side in a relaxed yet playfully contorted pose, its supple body wrapped into a compact composition around a large smooth ball. One forepaw rests possessively upon the sphere while the opposing paw clasps its lower edge, the animal turning its head toward the ball with an engaging expression as one hind paw scratches the side of its face, which is sensitively modeled with rounded, floppy ears, a characteristically broad and gently protruding muzzle, two prominently carved nostrils, a subtly delineated mouth, and alert eyes inlaid in dark horn. The paws are particularly finely articulated, while the long tail curls into a tight spiral against the flank. Very large and wonderfully asymmetrical himotoshi underneath. The ivory bearing an attractive warm yellow patina, particularly to the underside. LENGTH 6 cm, WIDTH 5 cm Provenance: Ex-collection W. L. Behrens (1861-1913). Ex-André Lichtenberger Collection (1870-1940), acquired from the above and thence by descent. Ader Picard Tajan, February 19 1979, Paris, lot 143. Walter Lionel Behrens (1861-1913) was a German-born banker and philanthropist who became one of the most prominent European collectors of Japanese art at the turn of the 20th century. Based in London, he assembled a vast and distinguished collection that included lacquer, ceramics, and especially netsuke, which he pursued with scholarly rigor and connoisseurship. His collection was widely admired by contemporaries and frequently consulted by leading scholars of Japanese art. After his death, much of it entered major public institutions, ensuring Behrens’ enduring influence in the field. Condition: Excellent condition with minor expected wear and typical age cracks. Gechu is a somewhat enigmatic carver of netsuke, in that little is known of him, including his residence. For many years he was thought to have worked in Osaka, principally on account of the stylistic relationship between his carvings and those of Risuke Garaku. More recently, Alain Ducros has proposed that Gechu may instead have been active in Kagoshima in Satsuma Province on the island of Kyushu (see Alain Ducros, Satsuma Ivory Netsuke, INSJ, vol. 36, no. 2, 2016, pp. 20-29). The rediscovery and close examination of the present netsuke mark an important addition to the small group of works associated with Gechu. Although the carving has been known since its publication in the Behrens collection in 1913, the early illustration did not allow the remarkably close correspondence with Gechu's documented dogs to be fully appreciated. Comparison with the celebrated signed dog and puppy from the Katchen collection reveals striking similarities in the broad projecting muzzle with its two carved nostrils, the form of the mouth and ears, and particularly the distinctive treatment of the paws. The scale is likewise remarkably close, the present work measuring 5.7 cm compared with 6.5 cm for the signed Katchen example. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a shaggy dog with a puppy, by Gechu, 6.5 cm high, at Bonhams, The Julius and Arlette Katchen Collection of Fine Netsuke, Part I, 8 November 2016, London, lot 120 (sold for GBP 221,000 or approx. EUR 370,000 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 FR2607505247-K). 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. Due to length restriction on Drouot this entry is shortened. For full description please visit www.zacke.at.