Ɏ RANTEI: A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A BOAR AND SNAKE

拍品描述

Ɏ RANTEI: A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A BOAR AND SNAKE By Hogen Rantei, signed Rantei 蘭亭 Japan, Kyoto, early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) A finely carved ivory netsuke depicting a recumbent boar with its jaws open, baring sharp teeth in a spirited, almost humorous expression. The bulky animal lifts one hoof slightly in the front, lending movement and sensitivity to the composition. Coiled securely across its back is a snake, its supple body sinuously entwined. The boar’s fur is meticulously incised and lightly stained to enhance the texture, while the snake’s scales are subtly delineated. Two himotoshi underneath and signed in a polished reserve RANTEI. LENGTH 4.5 cm Hogen Rantei, who was awarded the honorary Buddhist title Hogen during his lifetime, is among the most highly regarded netsuke carvers of the Kyoto area. He was celebrated for his exquisitely detailed hairwork and masterful staining techniques, which imbue his ivory carvings with a remarkably tactile quality. His works, at their best, are often compared to those of the great Osaka master Kaigyokusai Masatsugu. The pairing of boar (inoshishi) and snake (hebi) is highly symbolic. Opposites within the Japanese zodiac, they embody complementary forces akin to the Chinese concept of yin and yang. Such dualities were considered auspicious and netsuke of this type were often presented as wedding gifts, signifying the wish for harmony and longevity in marriage. While several netsuke by Hōgen Rantei depicting boars or snakes individually are recorded, the present combination appears to be previously unrecorded. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a boar by the same artist, signed Rantei, dated to the 18th-19th century, in the British Museum, registration number HG.418. Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a boar by the same artist, signed Rantei, dated to the late 18th-early 19th century, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), accession no. AC1998.249.102. Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 25-B-1284). This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.

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