An ivory netsuke of Sambo Kojin

SIGNED NORISHIGE, MID 19TH CENTURY

Details

An ivory netsuke of Sambo Kojin
Signed Norishige, Mid 19th Century
The Kitchen God, shown here as a horse protecting the "Three Treasures", a woman and her two young children, from the evil mago (groom) who is leading their horse
3.9cm. wide

Lot Essay

Sambo Kojin is also known as The Spiritual King of the Three Treasures. Mago were generally regarded as untrustworthy and were often depicted with monkey-like ("tricky") faces.

For a signature and other works by the artist, see Lazarnick, p. 838.

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