A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A RECUMBENT HORSEUnsignedJapan, early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Published: Gabor, Wilhelm (1999) Bulletin Franco-Japonais, no. 65, p. 42.Wilhelm, Gabor (Fall 1999) On the Continent, International Netsuke Society Journal, Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 56.A dark plum wood netsuke finely carved as a recumbent horse looking back over its shoulder, well detailed with an attentive expression with subtly smiling mouth and almond-shaped eyes with dark pupils, the mane elegantly falling in strands to either side of the spine, the underside with the similarly carved tail and the drawn-in legs, natural himotoshi between the body and the hooves of the left legs.LENGTH 4.3 cmCondition: Good condition, appealingly worn, tiny nicks, light surface scratches, the underside with a minor age crack, the front legs with small chips.Provenance: Ex-collection Ganzl. Piasa, 2 June 1999, Paris, lot 440 (sold for 26,500 FRF). French private collection, acquired from the above.