A RARE COROZO NUT MASK NETSUKE OF OKAME

拍品描述

A RARE COROZO NUT MASK NETSUKE OF OKAME Unsigned Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Well carved, her broad jaw and rounded cheeks tapering gracefully to a domed forehead. The face is characterized by narrow, smiling eyes, a broad nose, and a small, pursed mouth, imparting a gentle, expressive demeanor. The natural outer layer of the nut has been left exposed at the reverse, ingeniously employed to represent the hair and finely polished to accentuate the material's natural beauty. Two large himotoshi to the reverse. HEIGHT 4 cm Okame (or Otafuku) represents a lovely, always smiling Japanese woman who brings happiness and good fortune to any man she marries. She is also known as the Goddess of Mirth and is a very popular image in Japanese culture. Otafuku literally means ‘much good fortune’, and Okame means ‘tortoise’, which is also an auspicious symbol of longevity, as tortoises lead long lives.

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