186 - ARIMA TOMONOBU: A FINE NETSUKE OF THE SANSUKUMI ON A PUMPKIN

ARIMA TOMONOBU: A FINE NETSUKE OF THE SANSUKUMI ON A PUMPKIN By Arima Tomonobu, signed Tomonobu 友信 Japan, Nagoya, 19 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Superbly carved as the complete sansukumi group arranged around a large leafy pumpkin, the frog perched prominently atop with its head raised alertly, while the snake winds dynamically around the base, its finely scaled body emerging at the front with jaws opened wide to reveal minute teeth and a curling tongue. Completing the triad, a slug slithers among the deeply carved leaves and twisting vines. The animals are rendered with exceptional attention to detail, the snake's overlapping scales and ventral scutes meticulously incised, contrasting with the smoother body of the frog and the richly textured surface of the pumpkin and foliage. The densely interwoven bodies, leaves, and curling stems form a compact yet remarkably animated composition, with extensive openwork throughout. Natural himotoshi formed by the pumpkin stalk. Signed to the underside TOMONOBU within a rectangular reserve. LENGTH 3.5 cm Condition: Very good condition with minimal wear and few minor age cracks. The sansukumi motif, literally "mutual restraint," describes a circular relationship in which each creature is simultaneously predator and prey: the snake devours the frog, the frog consumes the slug, while the slug was traditionally believed capable of overcoming the snake. The resulting stalemate made the subject particularly suited to the playful visual language of netsuke carving. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of the sansukumi by the same artist, also signed Tomonobu, illustrated in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B, p. 908. P.19 no. 14 Auction comparison: Compare also a closely related wood netsuke of the sansukumi by the same artist, signed Tomonobu, 3.5 cm high, at Sotheby's, Japanese Works of Art, Prints & Paintings, 9 November 2006, London, lot 1047 (sold for GBP 2,400 or approx. EUR 4,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).