134 - SUKEYUKI: A SUPERB WOOD NETSUKE OF A SNAKE AND SKULL

SUKEYUKI: A SUPERB WOOD NETSUKE OF A SNAKE AND SKULL By Izumi Sukeyuki (1838-1920), signed Sukeyuki 亮之 Japan, Takayama, Hida Province, late 19 th century- early 20 th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) A strikingly macabre composition depicting a snake coiling tightly around a weathered skull, its body rendered with remarkable precision through finely carved scales of varying size and texture. The skull is superbly modeled with a stippled surface suggesting aged bone, a few missing teeth, and a deeply hollowed cranium. The snake emerges through the skull, penetrating the eye socket before resting its head atop the cranium, its double-inlaid eyes alert and its forked tongue extended. The dynamic interlocking of the two forms creates a powerful sense of movement and transformation, while the contrast between the smooth bone structure and the richly textured serpent demonstrates Sukeyuki’s exceptional command of wood carving. Natural himotoshi. Signed to one side SUKEYUKI. HEIGHT 4.5 cm Provenance: From the collection of Mrs. Frederica (Freda) Cook (1856-1925), and thence by descent. Freda Cook entered one of Britain’s most distinguished collecting families through her marriage in 1887 to Wyndham Francis Cook, younger son of Sir Francis Cook, 1st Baronet and Viscount of Monserrate (1817-1901). A wealthy textile magnate and one of the great art collectors of the 19th century, Sir Francis assembled an exceptional collection of Old Master paintings at Doughty House, Richmond, including works by Jan van Eyck, Velázquez, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, and Rembrandt. He also created a Japanese garden at his Portuguese estate of Monserrate, reflecting the family’s broad cosmopolitan interests. Among his acquisitions was the Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which he purchased in 1900 and which later achieved USD 450.3 million at Christie’s New York in 2017, establishing the world record for the highest price ever paid for a work of art at auction. Following her husband’s death in 1905, Freda inherited a considerable fortune and continued to collect works of art, including Japanese art and netsuke. Her extraordinary handwritten will, completed in 1925, comprises 95,940 words across 1,066 pages and four volumes and remains recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest will ever written. Condition: Excellent condition, minor typical wear. One inlaid eye is replaced. It is said that Sukeyuki had gone to find his models of skulls in old burial mounds and had taken anatomy courses from a physician friend to gain a better understanding of muscle tendon insertions. Izumi Sukeyuki (1838–1920) lived in the town of Bamba in Omi Province, present-day Shiga Prefecture. He initially specialized in carving family Buddhist altars, but upon visiting Hida-Takayama, he became captivated by the work of sculptor Matsuda Sukenaga (1800–1871), renowned for his netsuke and okimono of reptiles and amphibians. Inspired by Sukenaga’s style, Sukeyuki adopted his master’s name and turned to sculpture, focusing particularly on snakes, toads, and skulls. His sculptures of snakes slithering through skulls became a signature motif, reflecting his interest in the Zen Buddhist concept of memento mori, symbolizing the impermanence of life. Such motifs, favored by the samurai, were reminders of the inevitability of death and the importance of living prepared for it. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of a snake and skull by the same artist, signed Sukeyuki, 4.5 cm long, at Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 16 April 2021, Vienna, lot 151 (sold for EUR 17,080).