Tigerish images dominate Japanese art sale at Bonhams with a roaring £2m result and a world record for top lot
A fine large wood netsuke of a tiger. By Naito Toyomasa (1773-1856), Tanba, early 19th century. Photo Bonhams
LONDON.- A fine large wood netsuke figure of a tiger carved by Naito Toyomasa (1773-1856), Tanba, early 19th century was the top item in Bonhams sale of fine Japanese Art on Tuesday November 6th in which 582 works of art achieved a sale total of £2,085,000.
Seated, its head lowered to the left as it looks back with a ferocious expression, its tail passing forwards between the hind legs and rising at the side forming the himotoshi, the well-toned wood is slightly worn and the eyes are inlaid with pale translucent horn, signed in a long rounded rectangular reserveToyomasa. 4.5cm (1¾in). The sculpture, estimated to sell for £35,000-40,000, but made £103, 250, a new world record for Toyomasa. His previous record was a £85,250 for a netsuke from the Szechenyi Collection.
Although the tiger is a common subject carved by other artists, this image was an unusually large and boldly carved rendition by Toyomasa. The tiger is seated with its head lowered to the left as it looks back with a ferocious expression, its tail passing forwards between the hind legs and rising at the side. The eyes are inlaid with pale translucent horn.
Suzannah Yip, Director of Japanese Art at Bonhams, commented after the sale: "This was a very strong sale in front of a packed saleroom which achieved excellent prices for ivory, netsuke, inro, and metalwork from buyers all over the world."
Toshusai Sharaku (fl.circa 1794-1795), late 18th century. Segawa Tomisaburo II as Yadorigi. An oban okubi-e print of the kabuki onnagata actor (male actor specialising in female roles) in the role of Yadorigi, the wife of Ogishi Kurando, in the play Hana-ayame Bunroku Soga (The Iris Soga [brothers] Story of the Bunroku Period), performed at the Miyako theatre in May 1794, published by Tsutaya Juzaburo, with censor's seal Kiwame, signed Toshusai Sharaku ga. 36.8cm x 25.3cm (14½in x 10in). Sold for £73,250. Photo Bonhams
Second highest item in the sale at £73,250, was a wonderful image by the enigmatic print-maker Toshusai Sharaku (fl.circa 1794-1795) depicting a popular Japanese kabuki actor in one of the female roles he was famous for. The print shows the actor Segawa Tomisaburo II in the role of Yadorigi, the wife of Ogishi Kurando, in the play Hana-ayame Bunroku Soga (The Iris Soga [brothers] Story of the Bunroku Period), performed at the Miyako Theatre in May 1794, published by Tsutaya Juzaburo.
A fine black lacquer four-case inro By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Meiji Period. Photo Bonhams
Another strong result was for a fine black lacquer four-case inro by Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), of the Meiji Period. In the form of a rectangular ink-cake, carved in relief over theishime ground on one side with the boy hero Yoko approaching a spreading pine tree and on the other with the large tiger that was terrorising his village, the boy's coat and the tiger painted gilt, signed in characteristic scratched technique Zeshin; with woven metal ojime in the form of a basket, unsigned. 6.7cm (2⅝in) high. Estimated to sell for £30,000-35,000, it went for £56,450.
For a very similar example, see Japanese Inro from Private Collections, Eskenazi Ltd., London, 1972, no.17 and for another in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection, illustrated by Joe Earle (ed.,)Meiji no Takara, Treasures of Imperial Japan, Shibata Zeshin, London, 1996, no.38.
The subject of this inro is a reference to one of the paragons of filial piety, according to which, the fourteen-year-old Yoko accompanied his father to the mountains, where they were attacked by a tiger. Yoko managed to save his father by placing himself between him and the animal, overcoming the beast, and both survived.