Lot Essay
According to Neil Davey, Genryo worked in the 18th century, but the first piece is either by a later artist of the same name or he appears from the fineness of the work to have been a 19th century carver. Another netsuke by Jugyoku, of the same subject, but an earlier work, appeared in these rooms, lot 547, on the 20 November 1997.
Hoki and Iwami provinces are separated only by Izumo, which might account for the Iwami feeling about the second piece. Very little work by Tadanari is known. It is likely that he adopted another art name at a certain stage of his life, and that he is better known by that.
The seemingly fanciful scenario given above becomes more convincing when it is realised that the roof tile must have fallen to the ground in order for earth to have accumulated in the mouth of the karashishi, without which the nadeshiko would have been unable to take root. Given that the plant has also grown around the side of the tile and across the back, the rest follows from the scene depicted within.
Hoki and Iwami provinces are separated only by Izumo, which might account for the Iwami feeling about the second piece. Very little work by Tadanari is known. It is likely that he adopted another art name at a certain stage of his life, and that he is better known by that.
The seemingly fanciful scenario given above becomes more convincing when it is realised that the roof tile must have fallen to the ground in order for earth to have accumulated in the mouth of the karashishi, without which the nadeshiko would have been unable to take root. Given that the plant has also grown around the side of the tile and across the back, the rest follows from the scene depicted within.