Project Description

Dark Wood Netsuke of a Bat by Horaku

Its wings touching at the tips, while a loose fold of one is carved into a rococo like volute, providing a fixing point behind. The eyes are small inlays of dark buffalo horn
Signed. Kansai. Circa 1850
Length: 4.3 cm
Despite the presence of himotoshi, I feel sure that this was intended to be hung upside-down. The bat is, with landscapes, the favourite subject of Horaku, and treated by few other netsuke carvers. It is astounding how much variety he brings to such a simple subject. That said, this is quite close in conception to one illustrated in the 1994 Paris-Edo catalogue, as no. 87
Literature:
S.L. Moss, Such stuff as dreams are made on, n° 71
Provenance:
Willi Bosshard collection, purchased 1977
Sydney L. Moss, 2006-2007, purchased by the present owner
MR3985