Project Description

Ivory Netsuke of a Monkey Seated Against a Namazu

A good example of this 18th century subject, much less worn than is often the case, the monkey’s feet better defined.  He holds his gourd behind his head as a pillow.  He has a good expressive face with protruding pupils, while the fish’s eyes are similar flush inlays of dark horn

Unsigned.  Circa 1780

Length: 4.5 cm

Provenance:

Private collection, France

Information:

Compare with two other examples:  the Behrens variant, best studied in the Eskenazi catalogue of the Jacques Carré collection, no. 171, and one in Sydney L. Moss, ‘More Things in Heaven and Earth’, no. 4.  

MR2911

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