Beschreibung:

A VERY RARE IVORY NETSUKE OF KIYOHIME WRAPPED AROUND THE TEMPLE BELL IN DOJO-JI BY TOMOKOTO Katalognummer: NE1118-069 Ivory netsuke Japan, Kyoto late 18th – early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) An ivory netsuke depicting Kiyohime, transformed into a wrathful serpentine monster, her elongated body, covered in scales, is wrapped around the temple bell in Dojo-ji, in which the priest Anchin is hiding. Anchin fell in love with the once beautiful Kiyohime, but refrained from his passions, escaping from her, which made Kiyohime transform into a dragon-like monster due to her rage. In her rage she belched a fire so great it not only melted the temple bell but also killed Anchin. Her sorrow is captured brilliantly by the artist. She is holding a string of hair in one hand, a reminder of her former beauty. The scales on her body are meticulously carved, the details on the temple bell and the movement of her body are fully accomplished. The underside with a cloud-patterns and good himotoshi next to the signature TOMOKOTO. Davey writes on the artist “a rare member of the Okatomo school”. HEIGHT 4 CM, LENGTH 4.5 CM Condition: Excellent condition; very good patina Provenance: Collection of Sam Felton with CITES permit no. 18US59513C/9 Auction comparison: Another netsuke by the rare artist sold at Christie’s, The Raymond & Frances Bushell Collection of Netsuke: Part IV, New York, 23 April 1991, lot 19. Another netsuke by Tomokoto was sold at Zacke, Netsuke und Inro, Vienna, 1984, no. 31. Schätzpreis 估價: € 2.000 Startpreis 起拍價: € 1.000 -