An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-1
An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-2
An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-3
An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-4
An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-1An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-2An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-3An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century - image-4

Lot 847 D‡α

An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century

Auction 1179 - overview Cologne
25.06.2021, 11:00 - Asiatische Kunst
Estimate: 500 € - 800 €
Result: 2.500 € (incl. premium)
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An ivory netsuke of a monkey with a namazu. Late 18th century

Lying across his calabash next to the namazu. The eye pupils of the catfish and the monkey’s eyes inlaid in black horn.

According to popular belief, there is a large catfish under the islands of Japan which can cause earthquakes of varying magnitude when it moves its head and fins. The legend says that its movements are controlled by the Shinto deity Kadori Myojin who tries to keep the fish down with a gourd - an attempt that is doomed to fail, symbolically counteracted here by the monkey.
Length 7.6 cm

Provenance

Estate of Günter Kauth (1946-2016), Frankfurt am Main