An Ivory Netsuke

SIGNED HOJITSU (EDO/TOKYO), EDO/MEIJI PERIOD (MID/LATE 19TH CENTURY)

细节

An Ivory Netsuke
Signed Hojitsu (Edo/Tokyo), Edo/Meiji Period (Mid/Late 19th Century)
Katabori, okimono type, heavily stained ivory; a figure group of a mounted warrior waving a radish over his right shoulder, a smaller figure tumbling over at one side, a bunch of radishes on the other side, the himotoshi formed by a single hole in the base, signed with incised and stained characters on the base Hojitsu
1 13/16 x 1 5/16in. (4.6 x 3.3cm.)

拍品专文

The rare subject of this netsuke is a little-known episode in the cycle of legends concerning the revenge of the Soga brothers, Sukenari and Tokimune, for the murder of their father by Kudo Suketsune. In 1193 Sukenari learned that Suketsune was taking part in preparations for a great boar hunt at the foot of Mount Fuji organized by the shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo. Leaping onto a horse and using a radish as a whip, he hurried to join his brother and plan Suketsune's assassination. Although successful in their attempt, both boys were put to death.

1 V-F. Weber, Koji Hoten, Dictionnaire à l'Usage des Amateurs et Collectionneurs d'Objets d'Art Japonais et Chinois (Paris, 1923), pp. 325-6.