214 - MINKOKU: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF TWO MANZAI DANCERS

MINKOKU: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF TWO MANZAI DANCERS By Genryosai Minkoku, signed Minkoku 民谷 Japan, Edo (Tokyo), late 18 th to early 19 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Finely carved as two Manzai dancers standing closely together in animated performance, their compact figures arranged in a lively, interlocking composition. Both are dressed in voluminous robes falling in deeply carved, sweeping folds and enlivened with finely incised details. One holds an open fan before his body while his companion gestures animatedly beside him, their broad, smiling faces conveying the jovial character of the performance. Himotoshi to the back and signed MINKOKU. HEIGHT 5 cm Condition: Very good condition with only minor wear. Manzai is a traditional Japanese comic performance with origins in auspicious New Year entertainments. Historically performed by a pair of entertainers, often in the roles of tayu and saizo, it combined humorous dialogue, song, dance, and rhythmic movement. Particularly popular during the Edo period, Manzai performers became a familiar subject in ukiyo-e and the decorative arts. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of two dancers by the same artist, signed Minkoku, illustrated in Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, no. 914, pl. XVIII.