A RARE MOTHER-OF-PEARL NETSUKE OF A BOTAN SHISHI Unsigned Japan, 19th century Published: Bandini, Rosemary (2013) In a Nutshell, A Loan Exhibition of Japanese Netsuke from European Collections, p. 102, no. 207. Carved from a thick section of brightly shimmering and iridescent mother-of-pearl, depicting a shishi (Buddhist lion) resting its head on its paws and looking towards its left. The bulky animal appears rather docile here, like a pet dog playfully waiting to chase after a ball. The eyes are double-inlaid in yellow glass and reddish horn. The reverse is carved as a peony (botan) flower in full bloom, the center is pierced with two himotoshi. The pairing of the peony and shishi is very popular in Japanese art and it is thought that the ferocity of the lion is tempered by the beauty of the peony. The composition here is quite interesting as it suggests the body of a shishi is in fact shaped like a peony. SIZE 5.5 x 4.5 cm Condition: Excellent condition. Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection, Paris. Auction comparison: Compare to a very similar mother-of-pearl netsuke of a shishi sold at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art part II, 10 May 2017, London, lot 113 (sold for 3,120 GBP).