A beautiful and intricate study of a reclining Bijin. She is supporting her head on her elbow and holding a fan in her left hand, as she gently turns her head to the left, with sensitively crafted facial features. Her robes are beautifully lacquered in an unusual tone of pinkish amber. In Collector’s Netsuke (1971, p. 54), Raymond Bushell discusses Kohosai’s remarkable skill at manipulating lacquer to achieve convincing colors, textures and patinas on the surface of his netsuke, which is evident in this piece. The underside with a garment fold forming the himotoshi and a further opening of her robes, near her delightfully carved feet, revealing her genitals. The signature KOHOSAI is found on the underside near the sleeve.

Category:

Netsuke

Subcategory:

-

Subject:

Figural Shunga

Material:

Ivory

Age/Country:

19th Century

Artist:

Kohosai

Provenance/Owner:

Galerie Zacke

Signed:

signed

Type:

Katabori

Height:

Mm mm

Width:

66mm mm

Depth:

Mm mm

ID number:

2588