The monkey is the ninth sign of the Japanese zodiac and used to be considered to dispel ill will, ease births and be a messenger to the gods. This masterfully carved netsuke with fine fur pattern shows him putting berries in his mouth with great relish. He is holding the berry bush between his chest and his arms and the beautiful and crisply carved leaves and berries emerge between his legs and under his arms. The monkey is male, with expressed genitals that look eerily similar to the berries, and has eyes inlaid with pale translucent horn, the red-brown wood is stained black. Natural himotoshi between the legs, signed TOMOKAZU within an outlined reserve on one of the thighs. Kano Tomokazu from Gifu is regarded as one of the greatest animal netsuke carvers of all time and was said to have studied the animals very closely and sometimes took one or two months to finish a carving.

Category:

Netsuke

Subcategory:

-

Subject:

Animal

Material:

Wood

Age/Country:

19th Century

Artist:

Tomokazu

Provenance/Owner:

Galerie Zacke

Signed:

signed

Type:

Katabori

Height:

29mm mm

Width:

40mm mm

Depth:

mm

ID number: