AN EXCELLENT WOOD NETSUKE OF A MONKEY EATING BERRIES BY KANO TOMOKAZUBy Tomokazu, wood netsukeJapan, Gifu, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)The monkey is the ninth sign of the Japanese zodiac and used to be considered to dispel ill will, ease births and be a messenger to the gods. This masterfully carved netsuke with fine fur pattern shows him putting berries in his mouth with great relish. He is holding the berry bush between his chest and his arms and the beautiful and crisply carved leaves and berries emerge between his legs and under his arms. The monkey is male, with expressed genitals that look eerily similar to the berries, and has eyes inlaid with pale translucent horn, the red-brown wood is stained black. Natural himotoshi between the legs, signed TOMOKAZU within an outlined reserve on one of the thighs. Kano Tomokazu from Gifu is regarded as one of the greatest animal netsuke carvers of all time and was said to have studied the animals very closely and sometimes took one or two months to finish a carving.HEIGHT 2.9, LENGTH 4 CMCondition: One ear has a small restoration only visible under UV light - otherwise very good conditionProvenance: German private collectionAuction comparison: For a similar netsuke by Kano Tomokazu of a monkey eating berries see Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, London, 10 November 2016, lot 296.Literature comparison: A very similar work, titled "monkey eating berries" is pictured in Netsuke & Inro Artists and how to read their signatures' by George Lazarnick, 1981, page 1154.