93 - GENRYOSAI MINKOKU I: A MASTERFUL WOOD NETSUKE OF A RECUMBENT OX

GENRYOSAI MINKOKU I: A MASTERFUL WOOD NETSUKE OF A RECUMBENT OX By Genryosai Minkoku I, signed Minkoku 民谷 Japan, Edo (Tokyo), late 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Superbly carved and richly stained, the powerful ox recumbent with all four legs drawn tightly beneath its massive body, the head raised and turned to the right. The broad, barrel-shaped torso rises to a pronounced ridge along the spine and swells into powerful shoulders and rounded haunches, conveying considerable weight and latent strength. Exceptionally fine, closely incised hairwork changes direction across the body to follow and emphasize the underlying musculature. The head is imbued with a striking sense of character, with alert eyes inlaid in dark horn, elegantly curved horns, deeply hollowed funnel-shaped ears, and a broad muzzle secured by a minutely carved braided rope halter, its tether passing diagonally across the back and around the body. The tail curves gracefully around the haunch, while the smoothly polished horns, muzzle, hooves, and raised contours contrast attractively with the densely worked fur. The richly stained wood ranges from warm golden-brown to deep chocolate-brown in the recesses and bears a fine, lustrous patina. The underside is carved with equal care, the folded limbs framing two generously excavated asymmetrical himotoshi, one rounded and the other distinctly oval, with the signature MINKOKU incised in a smoothly polished reserve above. LENGTH 6 cm Provenance: French private collection, acquired at Hôtel Drouot, Paris, from the sale of a private collection, by repute. Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear. The present work must be counted among Genryosai Minkoku I’s finest animal carvings. Among the numerous netsuke bearing the Minkoku signature, very few approach its sculptural authority, technical refinement, and compelling sense of living presence. The ox’s compact monumentality, sensitive anatomical modeling, and quiet alertness recall the finest late 18th-century animal netsuke of Kyoto, particularly the celebrated oxen of Masanao. The generously excavated himotoshi are characteristic of Minkoku I’s work, while the elongated oval form of the larger opening also recalls Masanao’s distinctive treatment of the underside. The comparison is not one of attribution or school, but of artistic stature: at his best, as here, Minkoku approached the weight, vitality, and individual character that distinguish Masanao’s finest animal carvings. Literature comparison Compare a stylistically related wood netsuke of a reclining horse by the same artist, likewise signed Minkoku and dated to the late 18th century, 4.6 cm long, illustrated in The Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection of Netsuke, Part I, Christie’s London, 27 October 1987, lot 71. Auction comparison For comparison with the monumental treatment of the subject in the Kyoto tradition, compare a wood netsuke of an ox, catalogued as after Masanao of Kyoto, dated to the Edo period, 4.1 cm long, sold at Bonhams Skinner, Japanese Art: Netsuke to Byobu, 20 July 2023, Boston, lot 39, for USD 229,100, or approximately EUR 216,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing. The resemblance extends to the underside, where both netsuke display similarly arranged, generously excavated asymmetrical himotoshi, including a distinctly oval opening. Although the present work does not quite attain the consummate refinement associated with Masanao at his finest, it comes remarkably close in its compact monumentality, expressive character, and powerful sense of living presence.