Decorative

"REPENTANT DEMON" --- A MASTERFUL MEIJI-ERA TOMOCHIKA ...

A rare and well-preserved example of 19TH CENTURY from Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912), noted for its craftsmanship, material quality, and historical relevance.

This is a superb Meiji Period (1868--1912) Japanese Netsuke, standing 3.5cm tall and 4.5cm wide. Carved from natural bone, the piece depicts the famous folklore subject Oni no Nenbutsu---the ''Praying Demon.'' In this satirical scene, a once-fearsome Oni (ogre) has humorously ''converted'' to Buddhism. He is shown as a wandering priest sitting beside a massive Temple Bell (tsurigane), holding a mallet and a subscription ledger. The carving is highly expressive, using a polychrome stain to create deep shadows and bring out the muscular detail of the demon and the heavy texture of the bronze bell.\n\nThe Signatures & Engravings\nThis piece is uniquely detailed, featuring a ''triple-threat'' of markings that confirm its high-end origin:\n\nThe Workshop Mark: Inscribed in red on the side of the ledger is the character (Tomo). This links the piece to the Tomochika School, a legendary lineage of Tokyo carvers famous fo...r their witty, high-detail folklore figures.\n\nThe Prestige Seal: On the base is a small red lacquer inlay containing the character (To), meaning ''carved.'' This separate inlay was an ''upgrade'' used by master workshops to signal superior craftsmanship for the collector market.\n\nThe Narrative ''Text'': The fine, script-like engravings on the front of the ledger represent a donor list. These aren''t signatures, but part of the art---they represent the names of people the ''demon priest'' has supposedly convinced to donate to his temple.

— Details

Reference

SA1197367

Origin

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Period

19TH CENTURY

Dimensions

W 4.5cm × H 3.5cm

Rarity

High

Provenance

The G S. May Esquire Private Collection, London Brought Tokyo 1948

Condition

Excellent — see description