A RARE IVORY NETSUKE OF CHODORYO SENNIN WITH SHISHI Katalognummer: NE1118-077 Ivory netsuke Japan 18th - early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Illustrated in ‘Netsuke’, Wolfmar Zacken, Vienna, 1987, no. 81 The bearded sage with a very lively crafted head wearing a defining Chinese robe, is barefoot and his long hair reaches his shoulders. A guardian lion shishi, with a mane made up of spiral curls and a bushy, flaming tail, is seated and nestling up to the sage with its head. The rather tame, playful shishi is snarling at his master, who is visibly amused. The folds of the garment are very finely crafted, and the hands are remarkably sensitive. The himotoshi are found on the sage’s back and through his sleeve. Chodoryo is the name of the Taoist figure Zhang Daoling (34 – 156) in Japanese, who according to legend, had two of his companions turned into fierce tigers by a demon, but in retaliation he conjured a shishi who chased the tigers away. This netsuke likely depicts this exact scene with a humorous Japanese twist. Depictions of sennin with shishi are extremely rare in netsuke art and rarely named as Chodoryo. This depiction of Chodoryo is perhaps more easily identifiable as such due to his distinct Chinese robes and the fact he is lacking the typical leaf cloak of sennin. However, his robes are incised with leaves and his high forehead and unusually wide nose are characteristic for the superhuman sennin appearance. In the blend of Chinese-Japanese iconography, thus the Chodoryo sennin was born. HEIGHT 7.8 CM Condition: Good, age-related condition with a deep patina especially on the backside. The two feet of the sennin and shishi have been reattached. Provenance: Austrian private collection Literature: For another sennin and shishi with a similar incised pattern on his robes see Sotheby’s, Fine Japanese Works of Art, Olympia, 11 November 2003, lot 329. For a netsuke depicting Chodoryo in strikingly similar style, particularly in the facial features of sennin and shishi, see Zacke, Netsuke und Inro – Ausstellung 1984, lot 96. Auction comparison: For a tall ivory netsuke of a sennin with shishi see Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, London, 8 November 2011, lot 82. Schätzpreis 估價: € 3.000 Startpreis 起拍價: € 1.500 -
A RARE IVORY NETSUKE OF CHODORYO SENNIN WITH SHISHI Katalognummer: NE1118-077 Ivory netsuke Japan 18th - early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Illustrated in ‘Netsuke’, Wolfmar Zacken, Vienna, 1987, no. 81 The bearded sage with a very lively crafted head wearing a defining Chinese robe, is barefoot and his long hair reaches his shoulders. A guardian lion shishi, with a mane made up of spiral curls and a bushy, flaming tail, is seated and nestling up to the sage with its head. The rather tame, playful shishi is snarling at his master, who is visibly amused. The folds of the garment are very finely crafted, and the hands are remarkably sensitive. The himotoshi are found on the sage’s back and through his sleeve. Chodoryo is the name of the Taoist figure Zhang Daoling (34 – 156) in Japanese, who according to legend, had two of his companions turned into fierce tigers by a demon, but in retaliation he conjured a shishi who chased the tigers away. This netsuke likely depicts this exact scene with a humorous Japanese twist. Depictions of sennin with shishi are extremely rare in netsuke art and rarely named as Chodoryo. This depiction of Chodoryo is perhaps more easily identifiable as such due to his distinct Chinese robes and the fact he is lacking the typical leaf cloak of sennin. However, his robes are incised with leaves and his high forehead and unusually wide nose are characteristic for the superhuman sennin appearance. In the blend of Chinese-Japanese iconography, thus the Chodoryo sennin was born. HEIGHT 7.8 CM Condition: Good, age-related condition with a deep patina especially on the backside. The two feet of the sennin and shishi have been reattached. Provenance: Austrian private collection Literature: For another sennin and shishi with a similar incised pattern on his robes see Sotheby’s, Fine Japanese Works of Art, Olympia, 11 November 2003, lot 329. For a netsuke depicting Chodoryo in strikingly similar style, particularly in the facial features of sennin and shishi, see Zacke, Netsuke und Inro – Ausstellung 1984, lot 96. Auction comparison: For a tall ivory netsuke of a sennin with shishi see Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, London, 8 November 2011, lot 82. Schätzpreis 估價: € 3.000 Startpreis 起拍價: € 1.500 -
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
