101 - Ɏ A MASTERFUL AND LARGE IVORY NETSUKE OF A DOG WITH ITS PUPPIES, ATTRIBUTED TO YAMAGUCHI OKATOMO

Ɏ A MASTERFUL AND LARGE IVORY NETSUKE OF A DOG WITH ITS PUPPIES, ATTRIBUTED TO YAMAGUCHI OKATOMO Attributed to Yamaguchi Okatomo, signed Masanao 正直 Japan, Kyoto, late 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Katchen, Arlette (2010) Netsuke 7, Vol. 1, p. 19, no. K36. Masterfully carved as a large recumbent mother dog surrounded by her two exuberant puppies. The mother rests with her forepaws extended and powerful hindquarters tucked closely beneath her, the thick tail curling around one haunch. Her head is raised and the mouth open to reveal individually carved teeth and tongue, lending her an alert and protective expression. The two pups animate the composition with remarkable movement: one scrambles across her back, one hind leg charmingly extended behind it in mid-climb, while the other twists beneath her flank with a hind leg thrown playfully upward beside its face. The coats are rendered throughout with exceptionally fine, sumi-stained incision work, while the eyes are inlaid in dark horn. Deeply excavated himotoshi underneath and signed MASANAO within an oval reserve. The ivory bearing a fine, warm patina. LENGTH 6 cm Provenance: Ex-Collection Julius & Arlette Katchen, Paris. Bonhams, The Julius and Arlette Katchen Collection of Fine Netsuke, 10 May 2017, London, lot 122. Julius Katchen (1926-1969) was a renowned American concert pianist, celebrated especially for his interpretations of Brahms, and his wife Arlette Katchen (1931–2015) shared his passion for Japanese art. Together, they built an important collection of netsuke, reflecting their refined eye for detail and artistry. Their collection became highly regarded for both its quality and breadth, showcasing masterworks across schools, materials, and subjects. After Julius’s early passing, Arlette continued to care for and preserve the collection. Condition: Excellent condition with only minor wear and expected age cracks. The present netsuke is an important and unusually revealing work within the tradition of late 18th-century Kyoto animal carving, bringing into sharp focus the close stylistic relationship between Okatomo and Masanao. Despite the Masanao signature, the exceptionally fine and densely incised, dark-stained hairwork, the distinctive treatment of the inlaid eyes, and, above all, the extraordinary vitality and movement of the composition are strongly characteristic of Okatomo. At the same time, the broad, softly folded ears and aspects of the dogs' physiognomy are distinctly reminiscent of Masanao of Kyoto. Particularly intriguing is the signature itself. The characters are written in a markedly different manner from Masanao's customary signature, the divergence being so pronounced that it appears almost deliberate, perhaps intended to invoke Masanao without being confused with his usual hand. It is conceivable that the inscription was added at a later date; equally, it may have been incised by Okatomo himself in homage to Masanao and in acknowledgment of the evident stylistic relationship between their work. Auction comparisons: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a dog by Okatomo, 5.1 cm high, at Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, 8 November 2011, London, lot 157 (sold for GBP 46,850 or approx. EUR 83,400 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Compare also a closely related boxwood netsuke of a recumbent dog (erroneously described as a fox) by Okatomo, signed Okatomo, 4 cm wide, at Van Ham, Netsuke & Japanische Kunst, 8 June 2017, Cologne, lot 1535 (sold for EUR 25,800 or approx. EUR 33,600 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Trade Certificate: In accordance with new EU regulations that went into effect in January 2022, we have applied for a certificate to sell this item within the EU. We expect the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology to issue the certificate in 2-3 weeks. The item can only be shipped / handed over once the certificate has been issued. 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.