135 - Ɏ SUKEYUKI: A MASTERFUL IVORY NETSUKE OF A SNAKE AND SKULL

Ɏ SUKEYUKI: A MASTERFUL IVORY NETSUKE OF A SNAKE AND SKULL By Izumi Sukeyuki (1838-1920), signed Sukeyuki 亮之 Japan, Takayama, Hida province, Meiji period (1868-1912) A morbidly fascinating netsuke of a large snake with carefully rendered scales and a naturalistically carved body, varying in thickness, coiling around an anatomically precise skull. The skull has evidently lain exposed for some time, as a few teeth are missing and the back of the cranium is open. The snake slithers through this aperture, penetrating the eye socket and resting its head on top, its tongue extended. The surface of the skull is masterfully stippled to resemble the heterogeneous structure of the cranium. Signed in a polished rectangular reserve SUKEYUKI. HEIGHT 4.5 cm Condition: Excellent condition. With only minor wear and very few expected natural age cracks. 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. Sukeyuki’s snake-and-skull netsuke are far more commonly encountered in wood; ivory examples are considerably rarer, making the present work an especially unusual version of one of the artist’s signature subjects. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a skull and snake by the same artist, signed Sukeyuki, 3.5 cm wide, illustrated in Christie’s, Japanese Works of Art, 15 November 1993, London, lot 179. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of a skull and snake 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 or approx. EUR 22,000 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.