A WOOD NETSUKE OF TOBA SEATED ON HIS MULEWood netsuke. Japan, 19th centuryToba is a historic figure, who lived in China, where he is called Su Shi, during the 11th century as a high official and calligrapher, and was banished twice due to court intrigues, the second time to the island of Hainan. This work shows him seated upright on his mule and taking in the landscape. This netsuke is an ingyo, a seal netsuke. Characters in stylized seal script on the underside of the base. Himotoshi on the belly and side of the mule. Condition: Good condition with excellent patina Provenance: From a Dutch private collectionHEIGHT 6.1 CM