SHUNSAI: AN UNUSUAL LACQUERED WOOD OKIMONO-NETSUKE OF JIZO AND ONI By Shunsai, signed Shunsai Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912) An unusual dark wood netsuke with lacquered details depicting an oni cowering in front of a tsuitate (standing screen) while the Bodhisattva Jizo stands behind it, peeking, and scaring the oni with his red-lacquered tongue stretched out. The tiger-skin loincloth of the oni is lacquered in gold with black stripes and the front of the tsuitate shows a tranquil mountainous scene lacquered in gold hiramaki-e. Jizo’s eyes are inlaid, his belt is lacquered in red and his kimono shows a golden spiderweb. The underside with a floral himotoshi ringed in bone and the signature SHUNSAI 春齋. HEIGHT 4.8 cm Condition: A section of the base is reattached. Minor wear to lacquered details. Good condition. Provenance: French private collection. Literature comparison: A similar netsuke is shown in Lazarnick, George (1982) Netsuke & Inro Artists, and How to Read Their Signatures, Vol. 2, p. 1000.