Wood Netsuke of a Hiryu (Flying Dragon) Attributed to Sanko

Elaborately and pleasingly carved with stylisation reminiscent of European Renaissance carving. Particularly clever is the way in which the usually vulnerable elements (horns, the tail, the wings and their flames), are carved so as not to protrude, abutting other parts for consolidation. The jaw in particular suggests the work of Sanko

Unsigned. Before 1800

Length: 6 cm

Exhibited:

Paris-Edo, 1994, illustrated as no. 29 in the catalogue

This appears to be the same design as the Hiryu in the Sōken Kishō, illustrated under Unjuto Shuemara on p. 53 of Lazarnick’s ‘Netsuke and Inro Artists …’. Behrens seems to have had a particular liking for the subject, with another in wood illustrated alongside this one in Joly and three more in ivory on the previous plate. An ivory one, possibly also attributable to Sanko, is illustrated in Meinertzhagen’s Card Index, on p. 1024

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