MASATOYO: A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT EBONY WOOD NETSUKE OF A KIRIN
By Masatoyo, signed Tomita no ju Masatoyo and inscribed Unkei beneath the jaw
Japan, Tomita, Iwami province, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Published:
Henri L. Joly, W. L Behrens Collection (1912/1966), p. 55.
Lazarnick, George, Netsuke and Inro Artists, Honolulu 1982, pp.88
(illustrated in color) and 1204.
NKSJ, vol.4, no.3, Fall 1984, p.25, fig.1.
F. Meinertzhagen, MCI, Part A, p.480 (unillustrated).
Eskenazi Ltd., Japanese Netsuke from the Lazarnick Collection,
London, 1990, p.74, no.54.
Rokusho 20, p.73, no.106.
Earle, Huthart, p.320, no.290.
Burditt, ICLS, p.43, fig.19.

Exhibited:
The Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, 1985.

An ebony wood netsuke of a contorted smooth-skinned Kirin with flames emanating from its sides. The body forms a sinuous loop, functioning as natural himotoshi, its chin rests on its four feet and the tail forms another loop curling towards the end - what superior design! The Kirin has a powerful, somewhat crazed expression, with double inlaid eyes and a half-opened mouth showing its fangs with a loose ball inside. Signed and inscribed in tiny ukibori characters beneath the hindlegs MASATOYO 昌豊, resident of Tomita; and beneath the jaw Unkei in sosho characters, possibly a tribute to the famous medieval sculptor Unkei.

HEIGHT 4.9 cm

Condition: Superb condition.
Provenance: Brockhaus collection (sold by Christie's in 25.11.1980), then W. L. Behrens Collection, no.1442, then George Lazarnick Collection, no.144, then Robert S. Huthart Collection.

From the list of publications, the exhibition history and the list of notable hands this piece went through, the importance of this Kirin becomes evident. Furthermore, it is carved by the incredibly rare artist Masatoyo and is the only netsuke of a Kirin from the Iwami province, therefore inevitably ending up in the hands of Robert S. Huthart. Before however it made its way from Brockhaus to the Behrens collection, with Henri Joly and W.W. Winkworth writing about it, then ending up in the Lazarnick collection, who had finally deciphered the ukibori signature recognizing it as the work of Masatoyo of Tomita. What a joy to be a part of this lineage!