Antique
Japanese Ivory Netsuke
Hannya
Emerging From Scroll
Signature: Koshin, Circa:
1900s'
H
2.25 in.(5.3cm), W 1.5 in.(4cm), D 1 in.(2.5cm)
Condition: excellent! A
beautiful young woman succumbs to a love that is destined to be forever unrequited:
a passion for a priest. Thus is the story of one of the most famous tales and
dance dramas of Kabuki theatre, Masume Dojoji. Here, in the course of the play
the young woman Kiyohime, moves through innocence, frustration, and finally into
her final transformation as a vengeful serpent-demon which wraps itself around
a bell under which the monk, the object of her affections hides in terror. In
the traditional Kabuki theatre this is recognized as one of the most exquisite
and extravagant dances one that was performed at the zenith of an actors career.
In the dance over a period of five to ten minutes a most magnificent transformation
occurs as the single dancer actor playing the young woman moves through a series
of transformations, a fluttering of many gorgeous kimonos as she transforms from
graceful young woman to Hannya, the demon-serpent. Sold
to Private Collection
|  | This
early 20th century ivory netsuke portrays this famous dramatic scene with flavor
and character. A powerful She-Demon extravagantly drapes herself across the bell;
her kimono wide open exposes breast and belly. The She-Demon's hands and feet
are forcefully oversized, with one foot and leg piercing out through the back
of the scroll. The face of the demon is rendered as a classical Hannya mask, mouth
open, eyes in hot fire red stone inlays. Signed on the back and with defined himotoshi,
this ivory netsuke is in excellent condition. (SD)
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