192 - MASANAO: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY FAMILY EATING PERSIMMONS

MASANAO: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY FAMILY EATING PERSIMMONS By a member of the Masanao family, signed Masanao 正直 Japan, Yamada, Ise province, late 19 th century Finely carved as a mother monkey seated with her two young clambering over and around her. She eagerly bites into a persimmon held in both hands, revealing bone-inlaid teeth, while one youngster climbs across her back and the other nestles beside her leg, biting into a second fruit. The fur is meticulously rendered with dense incised hairwork, contrasting with the smoothly polished faces, hands, feet, and persimmons. Natural himotoshi and signed beneath in a polished reserve MASANAO. HEIGHT 4.4 cm Condition: Good condition with minor wear and few age cracks. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of a monkey group, by Masanao of Ise, dated 19 th century, 4.4 cm high, at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Work of Art, 19 March 2014, New York, lot 3117 (sold for USD 3,125 or approx. EUR 3,600 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).