Japanese Ivory Okimono Netsuke
HANKAI
Busting Through Palace Door
Unsigned, Early 19th Century
H 2.5in.(6cm.), W 2.5in.(6cm.), D 1.5in.(4cm.)
Condition: Very good, minor age crack

Hankai, whose Chinese name is Fan Kuai. Originally a low class butcher, he rose to the rank of minister in the court of Emperor Ryuho, the founder of the Western Han dynasty in 206 BC. This ivory carving illustrates the story of Hankai in an attempt to rescue Ryuho, feigning to be drunk and forcing his way into the banquet, carrying the palace door as he joins the rival conspirators, through which he gave the Emperor an opportunity to escape the assassination.

This superb carving of Hankai entangling with two palace guards is literally sweeping with force. As Hankai rushes through the first guard, he knocks off the guard's helmet and left him holding his head in dismay. Furthermore, the composition shows Hankai forcing ahead with the monster face decorated door, his large bald head and massive beard blowing behind, reinforcing the notion of his brute force pushing ahead, at the splitting moment as his right foot is trampling on the back of a second guard who has fallen to the ground.

Sold to Private Collection

This is a small yet complex masterpiece. The carving is both intricate, virile but with a light hearted approach. One further feature of interest is in its tactile design. It is possible that this wonderfully realized okimono is also small enough to be a large netsuke; though that the carving is lacking the formal himotoshi, there are multiple openings which the cord may pass through. The carving is unsigned, but the style and composition can be tentatively attributed to the late 18th to early 19th century Edo period. The walrus ivory has a beautiful aged patina. Except for two age cracks running through the standing guard, there are no chips or other damages.