MUGAI: A RARE WOOD NETSUKE OF A BLIND FISHERMAN TAMING THE NAMAZUBy Mugai, signed Mugai 夢外Japan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)An unusual and spirited carving, depicting a blind fisherman clad only in a fundoshi, his enlarged testicle slipping out, his face with an amusingly distorted expression, one eye closed and the other bulging, as he tries to tame the namazu with his tiny gourd – an amusingly futile attempt. The gigantic namazu appears to be smiling, the expressions of the two providing a humorous contrast. The namazu’s eyes are inlays of black wood. Large, asymmetrical, and generously excavated himotoshi underneath and signed MUGAI - The artist is exceedingly rare with only very few examples recorded. The well-toned wood bearing a beautiful, dark patina.LENGTH 5.2 cmCondition: Very good condition, some fine age cracks and light surface scratches. Good patina.Provenance: From an old Swiss private collection, Geneve, purchased at Sotheby’s, 16 July 1973, London, lot 153.Legend has it that certain types of catfish (namazu) are responsible for the earthquakes that plague the islands of Japan. When aroused, these creatures would contort their bodies in such a way that gigantic tremors shook the area for miles and miles. The Shinto deity Kadori Myojin usually attempts to prevent such catastrophe with the help of his magic gourd.