East Asia, Japan, Meiji era, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. This charming hand-carved wooden okimono depicts a tanuki, commonly known in English as a "raccoon dog," anthropomorphized as a monk in a flowing robe, praying with hands clasped over a low table. Crafted from a single piece of wood, this piece exemplifies the best of Mingei (folk art) traditions and features a character signature carved into the back. In Japanese folklore, tanuki are mischievous tricksters capable of transforming into any living or inanimate object, often assuming the form of monks, as represented here. Its exaggerated red-painted eyes gaze upward toward the heavens, while the clasped hands signify a desperate attempt to fit into this human role, all while concealing its true animal form. Size: 7" L x 6.5" W x 7.75" H (17.8 cm x 16.5 cm x 19.7 cm)

Provenance: private Truchas, New Mexico, USA collection, purchased from NAGA Antiques, Hudson, New York, USA in 2007

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#189274

    Condition:
  • Some chips and abrasions, but intact and excellent. Signed in Japanese characters on the verso.

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by Artemis Fine Arts
January 30, 2025 8:00 AM MST
686 S. Taylor Ave., #108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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