85 - Ɏ A FINE OSAKA SCHOOL IVORY NETSUKE OF A TIGER, ATTRIBUTED TO GARAKU

Ɏ A FINE OSAKA SCHOOL IVORY NETSUKE OF A TIGER, ATTRIBUTED TO GARAKU Attributed to Risuke Garaku, signed Tomotada 友忠 Japan, Osaka, late 18 th-early 19 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Boldly carved and deeply stained, the tiger is caught in a vigorous stretch, its forepaws thrust forward and its head twisted sharply back over one shoulder. The animated face is rendered with the exaggerated humor characteristic of the Osaka school, the dark horn-inlaid eyes lending the face a wonderfully comical expression, beneath thick brows, with small, rounded ears and finely incised whiskers. Particular attention is lavished on the coat, the smooth, boldly stained stripes contrasting against a dense ground of finely incised and inked hairwork. The long tail rises and curls over the back. Two generously excavated himotoshi to the underside. Signed within a wavy reserve TOMOTADA; however, the distinctive reserve, exaggerated physiognomy, and vigorous treatment of the animal are characteristic of Risuke Garaku, to whom the present work is attributed. Garaku is known to have used the Tomotada signature on works assigned to his early period. LENGTH 4.6 cm Provenance: Sotheby’s London, 14 June 1972, lot 41 (sold for GBP 380 or approx. EUR 6,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Spink & Son, London, acquired from the above. From a noted French private collection, acquired from the above. Condition: Excellent condition with minor expected wear and very few tiny age cracks. Remarkably, the stretched forward forepaw, which is often damaged on comparable models, is completely intact. The tiger (tora), the third animal of the East Asian zodiac, traditionally embodies courage, resilience, and strength, and is frequently paired with the dragon as its complementary counterpart. Yet the tiger was not native to Japan. Edo-period artists and craftsmen formed their image of the animal from imported paintings, stories, and tiger pelts, producing depictions that often combine remarkably accurate details with wonderfully imaginative anatomy. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a reclining tiger signed Raku (Garaku), dated late 18 th century, 4.4 long, illustrated in Barry Davies Oriental Art (1996), Netsuke Through Three Centuries, pp. 60-61, no. 51. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a reclining tiger with similar face expression and eyes, unsigned, also attributed to Garaku, dated early 19 th century, 4.5 cm long, in the British Museum, registration number 1972,0114.19. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a tiger by Garaku, signed Garaku, dated early 19 th century, at Bonhams, The Julius and Arlette Katchen Collection of Fine Netsuke Part II, 10 May 2017, London, lot 58 (sold for GBP 6,250 or approx. EUR 10,000 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/00314). 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.