HOSHUNSAI MASAYUKI: A VERY RARE AND SPECTACULAR STAG ANTLER OKIMONO OF BODHIDHARMA By Hoshunsai Masayuki, signed Masayuki with kakihan Japan, Asakusa, Tokyo, second half of 19th century A superbly carved stag antler okimono depicting a windswept Bodhidharma (Daruma). Bodhidharma, depicted here in Chinese style, is shown wearing a hat carved near the corona of the antler, his bushy eyebrows and beard sensitively carved. His face is carved with extremely fine detail, the eyes formed by two concentric rings, typical for the artist. His expression resonates with wisdom. The face builds quite a contrast towards the rest of the carving which is covered in the typical porous and rough texture of the stag antler, which is considerably difficult to carve around. Probably Masayuki had already carved a couple of his very fine netsuke from this branch of antler and had kept this section of ‘waste material’ to create this spectacular carving. Bodhidharma is completely enveloped in his robe, which sways in the wind to his left, dictated by the natural shape of the antler. His finely carved feet stand on a separately carved and removable base. The underside of the base, heavily porous, shows the signature MASAYUKI 正之 and kakihan. HEIGHT (with base) 13.2 cm Condition: Excellent condition with minor flaws to the material, note the flaws to the back of the hat. Provenance: Ancient collection Charles Cartier-Bresson (1853-1921) collection no. 472. Charles Cartier-Bresson was a textile industrialist and art collector specializing particularly in works from Japan. He is the great uncle of famous photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. Old collection number to base. Literature comparison: For another figure of Daruma by Masayuki see Poole, John: Collecting Legends: Art and Ethnography. In: Journal of the International Netsuke Collectors Society, Vol. 8, no. 2, September 1980, p. 53, no.4 (left).