workmanship and the display of craft techniques that cut across various traditional professional schools.
The world in which the netsuke carver lives today is very different from the world of the old masters. But the spirit and the technical skill of the early carvers is splendidly alive in the first-rank contemporary carvers.
4. CUTTLEFISH IN A BASKET. Wood and ivory. Signed: Sosui. Date: 1945. Sosui's incomparable technique in this netsuke is so skillful that the basket actually appears to have been woven. The quiet design, involving the contrast of ivory on wood, and the high technical proficiency combine to make this one of his finest netsuke. Several years ago, when Sosui was asked to indicate his favorite netsuke subject, he replied, "Cuttlefish in a basket." (Enlargement: 2.0 times)
5. OTTER. Wood. Signed: Sosui. Date: 1930-50. Sosui's love of animals is clearly apparent in his carving of an otter on a log, about to eat a fish. This is a rare subject in netsuke. The elongated form of the animal has been naturally positioned on the gracefully carved log in such a manner as to preserve, unobtrusively, the functionalism of the netsuke. (Enlargement: 1.7 times)
6. BADGER AND "EARTHQUAKE" FISH. Wood. Signed: Shinzan. Date: 1968. Shinzan's beautifully carved double-figure netsuke depicts a mujina (a type of badger) and a namazu (catfish, associated with earthquakes because it is so active before they occur) locked in a furious struggle. The convolutions of the two animals have made possible a netsuke design of true functional form. (Enlargement: 1.3 times)
7. THE TWELVE ZODIAC ANIMALS. Ivory. Signed: Meigyokusai. Date: 1960-70. The twelve zodiac animals are the subjects most frequently portrayed in netsuke: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, serpent, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog, and boar. They are usually carved individually, but occasionally artists have undertaken the difficult task of presenting the entire group in a single netsuke. Meigyokusai is one of the few carvers to succeed in the feat, and his netsuke is both a marvel of workmanship and a design of rare beauty. (Enlargement: 2.0 times)
8. CLUSTER OF RATS. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1965-70. The rat is the first sign of the Oriental zodiac. Rats are symbols not only of good luck but also of wealth and prosperity because of their association with Daikoku, god of wealth, whose servants they are. By skillfully carving seven rats in a cluster, Kangyoku has preserved traditional functionalism in this netsuke. His use of light and dark ivory not only lends interest to his carving but also evokes yin-yang connotations. (Enlargement: 1.6 times)
9. WILD BOAR. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1960-70. The boar, one of the twelve zodiac animals, is regarded in the Orient as a symbol of utmost courage, strength, speed, and ferocity. With no thought of self-protection, it hurls itself straight at its enemy. The hollow log through which Kangyoku's boar is charging seems to have a double purpose. It preserves the functional and tactile qualities of this uniquely designed netsuke. It also serves as a reminder that a tree may be the safest haven for a hunter when charged by a wild boar. (Enlargement: 1.5 times)
10. MANDARIN DUCK. Ivory. Signed: Sosui. Date: 1940-60. The mandarin duck (oshi-dori) symbolizes connubial devotion and is a favorite subject among Oriental artists, including netsuke carvers. The gentle, peaceful character of the bird supports an ancient legend that the Buddha was once reincarnated in the form of a mandarin duck in order to teach mankind its spiritual virtues. Sosui's abstract concept of this subject is simple and quiet, and the wings suggest the fan shape of the gingko leaf. (Enlargement: 1.5 times)
11. RABBIT. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1970. The fourth sign of the Oriental, zodiac, the rabbit, is frequently found as the subject of netsuke. One of the best examples is this somewhat stylized design of Kangyoku's, which he calls his “jewel" rabbit. (Enlargement: 1.6 times)
12. COCK. Ivory. Signed: shinryo. Date: 1965-70. Shinryo's highly stylized, almost abstract treatment of the cock is noteworthy in its tactile quality as well as its design. The cock, or rooster, is the tenth sign of the Oriental zodiac, and for that and many other reasons it is an important art symbol in Japan. Fortunetellers say that persons born in the year of the cock are generally intelligent and kind by nature. Their other qualities include protective faithfulness, courage, and prosperity. (Enlargement: 1.4 times)
13. ALIGHTING SWAN. Ivory. Signed: Bishu. Date: 1971. Bishu's alighting swan is one of the most beautiful and imaginative netsuke ever carved. With great skill and originality, the artist has captured the elegant grace of the swan's fleeting motion as it touches the water. (Enlargement: 2.3 times)
14. SQUIRRELS. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1971. During a discussion of our mutual love of household pets and wildlife, Kangyoku was shown a photograph of pampered squirrels at play on the patio of our California home. At our next meeting, some six months later, Kangyoku proudly displayed this superb squirrel netsuke. (Enlargement: 1.8 times)
15. PUPPY CHEWING ON A STRAW SANDAL. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1972. This netsuke of Kangyoku's is a vivid portrayal of canine mischief. It is shown in its various stages of carving in Chapter 6, Figs. 130(a)-(p). (Enlargement: 1.7 times)
16. ROPE RABBIT. Ivory. Signed: Bai-shodo (see biography of Bishu, p. 214). Date: 1968-71. This is a unique design. The abstract form of a rabbit has been achieved by coils of rope. Adding further interest is a rat, which has built its nest in the rope and appears and disappears at an opening in the rabbit's ear. Trick netsuke of this type have been common for centuries, but this particular design, involving two of the zodiac animals, has special charm and interest. (Enlargement: 1.5 times)
17. CICADA ON BAMBOO. Ivory. Signed: Senpo. Date: 1971. The fragile beauty of the cicada has always fascinated the Japanese, and its mystique has been beautifully captured by Senpo in his portrayal of the insect at rest on a bamboo stem. The cicada in Oriental legend was a symbol of immortality, and a jade cicada was always placed on the tongue of a deceased Chinese emperor when he was buried. Here Senpo has succeeded remarkably well in simulating the shiny, smooth texture of bamboo. (Enlargement: 1.3 times)
