Netsuke, tanuki in lotus leaf by Toyokazu, Japan, 19th century

TOYOKAZU: A SUPERB WOOD NETSUKE OF A TANUKI WRAPPED IN LOTUS LEAVES By Shugasai Toyokazu, signed Toyokazu 豊一 Japan, Sasayama, Tanba province, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Douglas J. K. Wright (1976), Netsuke Panorama, p. 19, no. 91. depicting a tanuki tightly concealed within a large lotus leaf, forming a wonderfully balanced composition.

A second leaf amusingly serves as a hat, while the tanuki’s face emerges dramatically from the folds, animated by large staring eyes inlaid in pale translucent horn and a wonderfully expressive, almost mischievous expression. The surrounding leaves are masterfully rendered with flowing incisions suggesting their natural veins and texture, while the deeply carved recesses create a striking contrast between the smooth polished surfaces and richly textured foliage. Himotoshi to the back and signed in a polished oval reserve TOYOKAZU.

HEIGHT 5 cm Provenance: The Dorothy Ann Stevens Collection of Fine Netsuke & Inro, formed between the 1940s and 1960s. One inlaid eye possibly replaced. Shugasai Toyokazu is widely regarded as the most accomplished pupil of Naito Toyomasa (1773-1856). His finest works combine the powerful modeling and technical refinement of the Tanba school with an exceptional sense of humour and animation. The present netsuke demonstrates Toyokazu at his very finest: the extraordinary carving of the overlapping lotus leaves, the flowing incised texture, and the brilliantly expressive inlaid eyes transform a familiar humorous subject into a work of remarkable vitality.

Despite the complex interwoven composition, every element remains clearly articulated, making this an exceptional masterpiece of Tanba-school carving. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of a tanuki wrapped in a lotus leaf by the same artist, signed Toyokazu, illustrated in Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A Comprehensive Study Based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, p. 243, no. 756.