Hands
joined in namaskara mudra with prayer beads hanging on wrists,
a fox dressed in a hooded robe stands on his rear feet with
shoulders hunched in a humble manner. He has transformed into
a Buddhist priest, however, his hairy features remain. The
fox face is expressive. His narrowed slanted eyes and twisted
half opened mouth look hauntingly vicious... which ultimately
demonstrates the skill of the netsuke carver, and his artistry
in capturing the extreme subtlety of the character.
The
representation illustrates the transformative power of demon
fox in Chinese folklore, and the Japanese Kyogen play entitled
"Konkai", The Cry of The Fox. The netsukeshi Yoshitsugu was
known to carve animals in wood with extraordinary finesse;
though despite my tireless search, few of his carvings are
found in the American and European collections. Yoshitsugu
is listed in "The Signature Book of Netsuke, Inro and Ojime
Artists In Photographs" by George Lazarnick.
PRIVATE
COLLECTION
