28th Apr, 2023 13:00
Fine Netsuke & Sagemono
52
A SUPERB TOYOMASA SCHOOL WOOD NETSUKE OF AN EMACIATED WOLF WITH TORTOISE
Sold for €7,800
including Buyer's Premium
School of Naito Toyomasa (1773-1856), unsigned
Japan, Sasayama, Tanba Province, 19th century
Very finely carved as a voracious, emaciated wolf, or yama-inu (mountain dog), its head lowered as it salivates over a small tortoise which has retracted into its shell. The artist strikes a delicate balance between dramatic effect, humor, and anatomical precision, the yama-inu being depicted not in a realistic manner but rather in an exaggerated, dramatical parody, while the bones and musculature are carved with remarkable naturalism. The eyes are inlaid in stained bone with incised, dark pupils. Natural himotoshi. The work is unsigned, however contributed to the school of Naito Toyomasa (1773-1856) and most likely by his son Toyomasa II (Toyoyo, 1811-1883), who frequently signed his works using his father’s go (art name).
LENGTH 4.3 cm
Condition: Excellent condition, minor wear.
Literature comparison:
Compare to a closely related wood netsuke, signed Toyomasa, illustrated in Zacke (1987) Japanische Netsuke aus dem 18. und 19. Jahrhundert Inro und andere Sagemono Sammlung Marcel Lorber, no. 120. Another closely related wood netsuke, signed Toyomasa, is illustrated in Zacke (1998) Netsuke – Sammlung Pingotti, no. 117.
Museum comparison:
Compare to a closely related wood netsuke, signed Toyomasa, in the Seattle Museum of Art, accession no. 33.476.
School of Naito Toyomasa (1773-1856), unsigned
Japan, Sasayama, Tanba Province, 19th century
Very finely carved as a voracious, emaciated wolf, or yama-inu (mountain dog), its head lowered as it salivates over a small tortoise which has retracted into its shell. The artist strikes a delicate balance between dramatic effect, humor, and anatomical precision, the yama-inu being depicted not in a realistic manner but rather in an exaggerated, dramatical parody, while the bones and musculature are carved with remarkable naturalism. The eyes are inlaid in stained bone with incised, dark pupils. Natural himotoshi. The work is unsigned, however contributed to the school of Naito Toyomasa (1773-1856) and most likely by his son Toyomasa II (Toyoyo, 1811-1883), who frequently signed his works using his father’s go (art name).
LENGTH 4.3 cm
Condition: Excellent condition, minor wear.
Literature comparison:
Compare to a closely related wood netsuke, signed Toyomasa, illustrated in Zacke (1987) Japanische Netsuke aus dem 18. und 19. Jahrhundert Inro und andere Sagemono Sammlung Marcel Lorber, no. 120. Another closely related wood netsuke, signed Toyomasa, is illustrated in Zacke (1998) Netsuke – Sammlung Pingotti, no. 117.
Museum comparison:
Compare to a closely related wood netsuke, signed Toyomasa, in the Seattle Museum of Art, accession no. 33.476.
Zacke Live Online Bidding
Our online bidding platform makes it easier than ever to bid in our auctions! When you bid through our website, you can take advantage of our premium buyer's terms without incurring any additional online bidding surcharges.
To bid live online, you'll need to create an online account. Once your account is created and your identity is verified, you can register to bid in an auction up to 12 hours before the auction begins.
Intended Spend and Bid Limits
When you register to bid in an online auction, you will need to share your intended maximum spending budget for the auction. We will then review your intended spend and set a bid limit for you. Once you have pre-registered for a live online auction, you can see your intended spend and bid limit by going to 'Account Settings' and clicking on 'Live Bidding Registrations'.
Your bid limit will be the maximum amount you can bid during the auction. Your bid limit is for the hammer price and is not affected by the buyer’s premium and VAT. For example, if you have a bid limit of €1,000 and place two winning bids for €300 and €200, then you will only be able to bid €500 for the rest of the auction. If you try to place a bid that is higher than €500, you will not be able to do so.
Online Absentee and Telephone Bids
You can now leave absentee and telephone bids on our website!
Absentee Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave your absentee bid directly on the lot page. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Telephone Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave telephone bids online. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Classic Absentee and Telephone Bidding Form
You can still submit absentee and telephone bids by email or fax if you prefer. Simply fill out the Absentee Bidding/Telephone bidding form and return it to us by email at office@zacke.at or by fax at +43 (1) 532 04 52 20. You can download the PDF from our Upcoming Auctions page.
How-To Guides
How to Create Your Personal Zacke Account
How to Register to Bid on Zacke Live
How to Leave Absentee Bids Online
How to Leave Telephone Bids Online
中文版本的操作指南
创建新账号
注册Zacke Live在线直播竞拍（免平台费）
缺席投标和电话投标
Third-Party Bidding
We partner with best-in-class third-party partners to make it easy for you to bid online in the channel of your choice. Please note that if you bid with one of our third-party online partners, then there will be a live bidding surcharge on top of your final purchase price. You can find all of our fees here. Here's a full list of our third-party partners:
- 51 Bid Live
- EpaiLive
- ArtFoxLive
- Invaluable
- LiveAuctioneers
- the-saleroom
- lot-tissimo
- Drouot
Please note that we place different auctions on different platforms. For example, in general, we only place Chinese art auctions on 51 Bid Live.
Bidding in Person
You must register to bid in person and will be assigned a paddle at the auction. Please contact us at office@zacke.at or +43 (1) 532 04 52 for the latest local health and safety guidelines.
