Beschreibung:

Lot details By Gessho (Gessei), signed Gessho 月生 Japan, Edo (Tokyo), late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) A compact and boldly carved wood netsuke of the lucky god Jurojin wearing an elaborately carved, loose-fitted robe with a cowl draped over his phallically-shaped head, holding a scroll in one hand, the other slightly clenched next to his head. Jurojin is screaming in agony, perhaps tormented by his wisdom, his mouth wide open, the long finely carved beard flowing downwards. Excellent himotoshi to the back, the larger hole generously excavated and tucked away underneath the opening of the cowl. Signed GESSHO. HEIGHT 4.9 cm Condition: Very good condition, minor wear, one crack near the smaller himotoshi. Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection, Paris. Meinertzhagen’s notes record that “Gessho is one of the great Netsuke carvers of the 18th century, tho’ not very well known.” (MCI, p. 78). Literature comparison: A similar wood netsuke of Jurojin with minogame, by Ryukei, is illustrated in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B, p. 674. Auction comparison: A wood netsuke of a stone lifter by Gessho was recently sold by Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 29 October 2020, Vienna, lot 164 (sold for 9,480 EUR). A closely related wood netsuke of Jurojin with minogame, by Ryukei, was sold by Lempertz, Netsuke-Sammlung Kolodotschko III, 5 June 2015, Cologne, lot 1047 (sold for 3,720 EUR).