Project Description
Wood Netsuke of a Monster Threatening Shoki, by Gyokuzan
Shoki lounges drunkenly with his face leaning on one hand, a large sakazuki upturned over his knee while over him looms the large headed hirsute monster of his nightmares, pulling a face. Its eye pupils are pierced inlays of horn
Signed. Circa 1880
3.7 cm across
There are too many Gyokuzans working in this period for one to be entirely sure which one this is. The last owner believes it to be Kodo Gyokuzan, and I grant him that the signatures of the two appear similar. However Kodo’s work is relatively rare, and what I have seen is not as crisply carved as this netsuke
MR4673
