62 - Ɏ A SUPERB TALL IVORY NETSUKE OF A FOX PRIEST (HAKUZOSU)

Ɏ A SUPERB TALL IVORY NETSUKE OF A FOX PRIEST (HAKUZOSU) Unsigned Japan, 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Eskenazi (1998) Japanese Netsuke, Ojime and Inro from a Private European Collection, no. 21. Superbly carved, the sly creature standing upright in the guise of a Buddhist priest, enveloped in long flowing robes and wearing a large cowl drawn over the head. The shapeshifting fox clasps a tall bamboo staff with both distinctly human hands, the slender cane extending neatly between the feet, with the ears pricked beneath the hood. The robes are richly worked throughout with dense, finely sumi-stained incision. The fox bears a wonderfully knowing expression, with narrow incised eyes, pointed features, and a slightly open mouth revealing a minute row of teeth. Asymmetrical himotoshi to the back, the larger hole generously excavated to accommodate the cord knot. The ivory has acquired a beautiful warm honey-yellow patina. Provenance: Ex-collection Emile Veranneman. With Eskenazi Ltd., London, 1998. From a noted French private collection, acquired from the above. Condition: Very good condition with only minor typical wear and expected age cracks. Old restoration to the big toe of the left foot. HEIGHT 10.2 cm Hakuzosu is the name of the fox-priest character associated with the Kyogen play Tsurigitsune. In the story, a fox assumes the form of a Buddhist priest in order to deceive a hunter, exploiting the animal’s traditional reputation for supernatural intelligence and shapeshifting. Kitsune were among the most enduring creatures of Japanese folklore, believed capable of assuming human form and frequently portrayed as cunning, mischievous, and ambiguous beings moving between the human and supernatural worlds. The present netsuke captures this duality particularly well: beneath the solemn robes and devotional guise, the fox’s sly expression immediately betrays its true nature. The subject was especially well suited to tall-form netsuke, and the present example is notable not only for its substantial height but also for the elegance and refinement of its execution. At over 10 cm high, the figure has an unusually commanding sculptural presence while retaining the intimacy and wit characteristic of the finest early netsuke. Its tall, tapering triangular form is also characteristic of early ivory carving, ingeniously adapted to the natural shape of the tusk and allowing the costly material to be used with remarkable economy. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a fox priest, 9.37 cm high, formerly in the Ex-Collection Raymond and Frances Bushell, now in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number M.87.263.7. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a fox priest, 9.5 cm high, at Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 4 November 2022, Vienna, lot 6 (sold for EUR 7,150). Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number IT/CE/2024/MI/00303). 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.