Antique
Japanese Edo Netsuke
Sleeping Sage
Seal Form Netsuke
Signature:
unsigned. Circa: 18th-19th century
H
1.75 in.(4.5cm), W 1.35 in.(3.5cm), D 1 in.(2.5cm)
Condition: usage worn, o.a. good This
superb old netsuke, silken with handling and age, with its rich amber color and
worn beauty, has taken on the mellow appearance of a natural object. Carved from
the near center of the tusk section where the grain is fine and close, it has
acquired a number of age cracks, accenting the translucency of the material. Carved
as a seal form netsuke, depicting a serene sage kneeling at a low table; his face,
arms and beard flowing into a single emblem of quietude. The carving is expressive
and simply rendered, with a few languid folds of fabric revealing the ample outline
of the torso and draping over the feet, which rest on an uninscribed base.
|
Private Collection
|
