121 - TAKUSAI: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY ATOP A TREASURE BAG

TAKUSAI: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY ATOP A TREASURE BAG By Tatekawa Takusai (1817-1887), signed Takusai 啄齋 Japan, Suwa, Shinano Province, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Finely carved as a monkey seated atop a large treasure bag, its body curled comfortably over the rounded form. The monkey’s expressive face is sensitively modeled with a slightly mischievous air, animated by wide eyes double-inlaid in pale and dark horn, while the fur is rendered in fine, closely incised strokes. The voluminous treasure bag beneath is richly worked with scrolling decoration and a tied cord. Asymmetrical himotoshi to the underside and signed TAKUSAI. LENGTH 4 cm Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear. Tatekawa Takusai (1817–1887) was a distinguished wood carver of the Suwa school, renowned for his imaginative use of the natural grain, color, and structure of different woods. His carvings combine vigorous modeling and expressive movement with a remarkable sensitivity to the material. His daughter Matsuyo, who worked under the art name Shoran, famously compared his sculptures to the drawings of Hokusai, calling him the “Hokusai of sculpture.” For an extensive discussion of Takusai and the Tatekawa family, see Ducros, Alain (2000), Tatekawa Family of Wood Carvers, International Netsuke Society Journal, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 23–31. Auction comparison: Compare a related wood netsuke of tengu no tamago by the same artist, also signed Takusai, 4.2 cm long, at Bonhams, The Robert S. Huthart Collection of Iwami Netsuke, 15 May 2019, London, lot 138 (sold for GBP 4,437 or approx. EUR 7,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).