A kurogaki wood netsuke of a wolf or wild dog (yama-inu)


By Rensha, Edo, 19th centurySigned Rensha. 6.7cm (2 5/8in) high.
|黒柿彫根付　狼/山犬　銘「連車」　19世紀Published: Sydney L. Moss Ltd., ZBDC, no.58.INSJ, vol.13, no.3, p.45-58.Katchen, N7, vol.1, p.241, no.K905.Seated, its head raised and twisted to the left as it howls to attract attention, the dark wood slightly worn with a good patina, the eyes inlaid.Little appears to be known of this rare artist, by whom only three other examples are recorded: a wood study of a boar with ivory tusks in the British Museum collection, another of a dog playing with an awabi shell illustrated in Lazarnick, NIA, p.868 and a lotus pod, in the Seikado Bunko Art Museum, Japan.