AN IVORY NETSUKE BY MITSUHIRO OF A BIWA FRUITIvory netsuke. Japan, 18th centuryThe loquat, a shrub or tree also known as the Japanese medlar, has fruit which are described as “pomegranate”. The fruit is filled with countless seeds and symbolizes fertility. This netsuke shows a fruit like this, shaped with great clarity and admirable purity of form. In a Zen Buddhist manner, the devout, pain abstraction leads us to an aesthetically heightened perspective. The pome becomes a purified object, gently guiding our visual perception along an emotional-cultic path. One cannot help but feel astonishment for the fruit as well as the artist, who created this sculptural work with incredible balance in a doubtlessly arduous process. The little snail, moving towards the leaf and leaving a trail of slime along the branch, is an amazingly subtle detail, and the star-shaped scar at the top of the fruit is a delight. These are fine details of the highest quality, which require great skill. The signature MITSUHIRO