159 - TAMETAKA: A SUPERB WOOD NETSUKE OF A HARE WITH GRAPES

TAMETAKA: A SUPERB WOOD NETSUKE OF A HARE WITH GRAPES By Tametaka or a close follower, signed Tametaka 為隆 Japan, Nagoya, late 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) The bulky, generously proportioned netsuke is boldly carved as a crouching hare compactly composed, its thick, short ears laid back along the body and the forepaws drawn closely together as it nibbles on a leafy vine bearing a cluster of grapes. The rounded body is finely incised with dense fur, while the face is sensitively rendered with large rounded eyes. The underside is elaborately worked with the trailing grapevine and leaves, the hind paws tucked neatly beneath the body. Asymmetrical himotoshi underneath and signed TAMETAKA. LENGTH 4.4 cm Condition: Good condition with old wear and typical traces of use. An age crack to the right side underneath. Tametaka, the earliest recorded netsuke carver from Nagoya and the only Nagoya artist listed in the Soken Kisho of 1781, established a distinctive style characterized by compact, powerful forms, boldly worked surfaces, and a characteristic rustic vitality. His animal carvings in particular combine strong sculptural modeling with finely incised detail. Although the signature on the present netsuke is somewhat atypical in its cutting, the carving itself is strongly characteristic of Tametaka and compares convincingly with his signed works. The remarkably similar hare signed Azan cited below further demonstrates the close stylistic affinities within the Nagoya school, and a very close follower of Tametaka cannot be entirely excluded. Literature comparison: Compare a related wood netsuke of a reclining hare by the same artist, signed Tametaka, dated 18 th century, illustrated in Sagemonoya (2002) Netsuke, Ojime & Masatoshi’s Kabuki, no. 121. Compare a closely related wood netsuke of a hare eating grapes, unsigned, described as showing affinities to the school of Tametaka, illustrated in Sotheby’s, Japanese Works of Art, 19-20 December 1967, London, lot 328. Auction comparison: Compare a related wood netsuke of a chubby hare, signed Azan, similarly carved, 3.9 cm long, at Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 3 May 2024, Vienna, lot 111 (sold for EUR 9,750 or approx. EUR 10,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).