An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-1
An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-2
An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-3
An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-4
An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-5
An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-6
An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-1An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-2An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-3An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-4An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-5An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century - image-6

Lot 464 D‡α

An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century

Auction 1213 - overview Cologne
09.12.2022, 11:00 - Asian Art
Estimate: 6.000 € - 8.000 €
Result: 13.860 € (incl. premium)
Print page
Watchlist

An ivory netsuke of two wrestlers. Mid-19th century

One of the fighters has pushed his head under his opponent's body to heave it upwards as the latter tries to hold on to his opponent's arm and belt (mawashi). Signed Hôjitsu.
Height 4.9 cm

The throw shown here cannot be assigned to any of the 82 classical victory techniques in Sûmo. Rather, Hôjitsu's present work, with its almost portrait-like faces and naturalistic rendering of the muscles, emphasises a unique combat situation with an omnidirectional nature. On the one hand, one of the wrestlers seems to have already lifted his opponent onto his shoulders ready to throw him off, looking from the opposite side however, we notice that the latter is desperately trying to free himself from a tight grip of his opponent's legs.

Certificate

Sales permit for the EU internal market available

Provenance

Private collection, Düsseldorf