TESSAI: A BOXWOOD KISERUZUTSU OF IZUMO NO OKUNI By Kano Tessai (1845-1925), sealed Tessai 鉄哉 with kakihan Japan, Nara, late 19th to early 20th century The pipe case of muso-zutsu type, conceived in tribute to Izumo-no-Okuni, the creator of the kabuki theatre. She is depicted as a ceramic model, wearing flowing robes while performing her innovative dance on a raised platform. Below her is a kutani vase in the shape of a gourd, a horse seemingly emerging from it. The surface of the boxwood polished to a high degree and the carving finely executed in shishiaibori (sunken relief), highlighted with dry lacquer (kanshitsu). The reverse with a long inscription above two further kutani vases: 九谷焼出雲於國之圖、唯我独尊庵主銕哉. “Kutani-yaki Izumo-no-Okuni no zu, Yuiga Dokuson an shu Tessai, with kakihan” [Image of Izumo-no-Okuni, based on a porcelain model of her in Kutani ware, Tessai, owner of Yuiga Dokuson Studio]. The kakihan is based on 光 Ko of Kotaro 光太郎. The cord attachment in the form of an eyelet near the rim, which is lined in metal. HEIGHT 21.3 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor associated surface wear. Provenance: US private collection, Florida. Kano Tessai appears to have made several kiseruzutsu carrying images of traditional but enigmatic Japanese beauties, such as Moronobu Bijin (beauties portrayed by Hishikawa Moronobu and his school) and Izumo-no-Okuni, amongst others. The bottle gourd (hyotan) is placed in front of the ceramic model of Izumo-no-Okuni. Tessai's idiosyncratic humor and imagination are abundantly displayed. It looks as if a horse is emerging from the narrow neck of the bottle. The sinuous Kabuki dance of Izumo-no-Okuni appears to have caused a miracle to happen. Which points to a famous Japanese proverb of a miracle “Hyotan kara koma 瓢箪から駒“ (“A fine horse emerges from a bottle gourd”) which was originally based on a Chinese Daoist legend of Chokaro. Auction comparison: A related pipecase depicting a porcelain model of a beauty, by Kano Tessai, was sold at Bonhams, The Bluette H. Kirchhoff Collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, 16 September 2009, New York, lot 2274 (sold for 1,830 USD). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.