Japan - Edo (Tokyo), school of Chikuyōsai Tomochika Wood Netsuke signed Hidechika 秀親 – Adult monkey with its young - 3.7 cm
18
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Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 2,000 - € 2,500
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Japanese Edo-period netsuke in wood, signed Hidechika, depicting an adult monkey with its young, dimensions 3.7 × 3.3 × 2.7 cm, in very good condition with minor signs of use; provenance Belgian private collection, acquired in Brussels in 1984.
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Description from the seller
Japanese wooden netsuke finely carved, signed Hidechika 秀親, depicting an adult monkey tenderly holding its little one, who is bringing a fruit to its mouth. Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century.
The composition is particularly successful: the two animals are united in a compact volume perfectly suited to the netsuke’s function, while retaining remarkable clarity from several angles. The young monkey concentrates on the fruit held between its hands, while the adult enfolds it in its arms in a protective gesture.
The sculpture stands out for its flexible, naturalistic modelling, with beautiful work on the faces, fingers and toes. The fur areas are rendered by fine incisions, while the volumes of the back and limbs show a deep polish revealing the grain of the wood and an appealing brown-red to brown-black patina. The eyes are enhanced with inlays, adding much life to the expressions.
On the reverse are two himotoshi, perfectly integrated into the composition, as well as the signature 秀親 – Hidechika, carved vertically in a recess.
Hidechika is a netsuke-maker active in the 19th century, traditionally associated with the Edo school of Chikuyōsai Tomochika. Works signed Hidechika are preserved in major institutional collections, notably the Tokyo National Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The object shows a beautiful coherence between sculpture, patina, functional wear, himotoshi and signature. Very good overall condition, with only slight signs of use compatible with its age.
Provenance: former Belgian private collection, purchased in Brussels in December 1984; then German private collection. The documentation from earlier times allows the piece to be traced over several decades, which is a particularly valuable feature for a netsuke of this quality.
Dimensions: 3.7 × 3.3 × 2.7 cm
Weight: 16.5 g
Japan – Edo period – mid-19th century – signed Hidechika 秀親
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/rmz5ip6a2fb7nku9g8lru/AILz3zeXa-vs8GfC_Wmgj4s?rlkey=ml8jejeh0a52v4zffndkw8008&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateJapanese wooden netsuke finely carved, signed Hidechika 秀親, depicting an adult monkey tenderly holding its little one, who is bringing a fruit to its mouth. Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century.
The composition is particularly successful: the two animals are united in a compact volume perfectly suited to the netsuke’s function, while retaining remarkable clarity from several angles. The young monkey concentrates on the fruit held between its hands, while the adult enfolds it in its arms in a protective gesture.
The sculpture stands out for its flexible, naturalistic modelling, with beautiful work on the faces, fingers and toes. The fur areas are rendered by fine incisions, while the volumes of the back and limbs show a deep polish revealing the grain of the wood and an appealing brown-red to brown-black patina. The eyes are enhanced with inlays, adding much life to the expressions.
On the reverse are two himotoshi, perfectly integrated into the composition, as well as the signature 秀親 – Hidechika, carved vertically in a recess.
Hidechika is a netsuke-maker active in the 19th century, traditionally associated with the Edo school of Chikuyōsai Tomochika. Works signed Hidechika are preserved in major institutional collections, notably the Tokyo National Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The object shows a beautiful coherence between sculpture, patina, functional wear, himotoshi and signature. Very good overall condition, with only slight signs of use compatible with its age.
Provenance: former Belgian private collection, purchased in Brussels in December 1984; then German private collection. The documentation from earlier times allows the piece to be traced over several decades, which is a particularly valuable feature for a netsuke of this quality.
Dimensions: 3.7 × 3.3 × 2.7 cm
Weight: 16.5 g
Japan – Edo period – mid-19th century – signed Hidechika 秀親
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/rmz5ip6a2fb7nku9g8lru/AILz3zeXa-vs8GfC_Wmgj4s?rlkey=ml8jejeh0a52v4zffndkw8008&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Culture
Japan - Edo (Tokyo), school of Chikuyōsai Tomochika
Century/timeframe
Fin de l’époque Edo, Milieu du XIXe siècle
Name of object
Netsuke signed Hidechika 秀親 – Adult monkey with its young
Acquired from
Auction house
Year acquired
1984
Material
Wood
Country acquired from
Belgium
Condition
Good overall condition, showing age-related wear, small marks, light scratches and rubbing
Previous owner acquired from
Private collection
Height
3.7 cm
Previous owner - year acquired
1984
Width
3.3 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Germany
Depth
2.7 cm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
