145 - A FINE INLAID EBONY WOOD SHUNGA NETSUKE OF ONNA DARUMA

A FINE INLAID EBONY WOOD SHUNGA NETSUKE OF ONNA DARUMA Unsigned Japan, Tokyo, late 19 th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) Finely carved as Onna Daruma, the female counterpart of Bodhidharma, enveloped almost entirely within voluminous robes that form the familiar rounded, conical silhouette of the patriarch in meditation. The dark garment is modeled with a few bold, assured folds, opening at the front like a narrow window to reveal the delicately carved pale face, its serene, subtly knowing expression lending the piece a distinctly humorous and sensual character. The head is ingeniously articulated to nod slightly when the netsuke is moved. The underside is constructed as a concealed screw-fitting cover, opening counterclockwise to reveal the shunga conceit within: the nude Onna Daruma viewed from below, her intimate details exquisitely rendered in minute carving and delicately heightened with red staining. Himotoshi to the back. HEIGHT 3.9 cm Provenance: Ex-Collection Marcel Lorber (1900-1986). Zacke, Japanische Netsuke, Inro und andere Sagemono - Ausstellung 1986, no. 101. From a noted German private collection, Munich, Germany, acquired from the above. Condition: Excellent condition with only minor wear. Onna Daruma, or “female Daruma,” emerged in Edo-period popular culture as a humorous and often erotic reinterpretation of Bodhidharma, the stern patriarch of Zen Buddhism. By replacing the ascetic monk with a beautiful woman, artists transformed an image associated with discipline and spiritual endurance into one of wit, sensuality, and playful irreverence. Such feminine Daruma figures became particularly popular in ukiyo-e and related decorative arts, where the contrast between Bodhidharma’s celibate severity and the attractions of the pleasure quarters offered fertile ground for parody. The subject also acquired auspicious associations through the familiar self-righting Daruma doll, whose ability to regain its upright position made it a symbol of perseverance and good fortune.