A
growling wolf tightly resting his left paw on a skull may
look gruesome to the West; however, it was a common practice
in the feudal society of Japan, where the severed head of
an executed criminal was simply left for wild animals to devour.
Such an image was considered a powerful talisman to repel
evil spirits. Thus the wolf with human skull was believed
to be a lucky charm in the old Japan, and a common theme among
netsuke carvers.
Distinct
from haunch wolves by masters such as Tomotada, Kokei, Tomonobu;
the wolf by Gyokuseki shown here is modeled with enlarged
tense eyes and backward pointing ears, its grip on the skull
has the commanding power of the fu-dog... but the wolf's image
in a muscular body with faintly shown rib cage, is caught
in a suspended moment just before leaping forward.
