An Edo school ivory netsuke of Eguchi no kimi, by Meijitsu. Second half 19th century - image-1

Lot 882 Dα

An Edo school ivory netsuke of Eguchi no kimi, by Meijitsu. Second half 19th century

Auction 1044 - overview Cologne
06.12.2014, 10:30 - The Kolodotschko Collection of Netsuke, Japanese Art
Estimate: 900 € - 1.200 €
Result: 1.736 € (incl. premium)
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An Edo school ivory netsuke of Eguchi no kimi, by Meijitsu. Second half 19th century

Wearing elaborate robes the courtesan sits on a reclining elephant, in her hands a long open scroll with incised writing, on the reverse an incense burner on a Chinese-type stand. One detail of her uchikake of mother-of-pearl. Signed Meijitsu with kaô in red.
Diameter 5.3 cm

In the nô drama “Eguchi no kimi” a courtesan by the same name is the reincarnation of Fugen Bosatsu. She offered Saigyô Hôshi “shelter for one moment”, who on a rainy night was travelling through Eguchi in Settsu province, and they exchanged poems with many Buddhist allusions. The subject was reinterpreted by ukiyo-e artists as mitate (travesty) showing Eguchi no kimi on an elephant, the vehicle of Fugen Bosatsu.

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