Large Tsuishu lacquer netsuke of a Shojo dancer, attributed to Matsuki Hokei

This large and impressive netsuke is crafted from lustrous tsuishu lacquer, depicting a Shojo dancer—a sake-loving sea spirit from Japanese folklore. Attributed to the master carver Matsuki Hokei, who worked in Tokyo during the late 19th century Meiji period, this unsigned piece exhibits the artist's hallmark technical refinement.

The dancer is posed in a graceful sway, holding a folding fan in the right hand. The figure's face features a soft, intoxicated smile, complemented by long hair rendered in minutely incised strands that drape over the shoulders. The dancer’s voluminous robes and hakama are intricately carved in varied relief with an exceptionally dense pattern of chrysanthemums and floral motifs, interspersed with geometric diaper designs such as asanoha and kikko.

The carving is consistent across the front and reverse, and the netsuke is equipped with the characteristic ringed himotoshi on the back. Measuring 6.1 cm in height, it is considered one of the largest and most ambitious examples of its type.