A WOOD NETSUKE BY MINKOKU OF A BOY AND OXWood netsuke. Japan, 19th centuryA brawny ox with curved horns standing on an oval base. The ox-boy, called ushidoji, is leaning on it. This netsuke is beautifully carved with great attention to detail. The ox is the second animal in the zodiac. This motif of the ox and the boy is reminiscent of a well-known Zen Buddhist tale, the Ten Ox Herding Pictures or jugyu no zu. Beautiful, dark color. Inlaid signature on the flat baseMIN-KOKU 民 谷, a carver from Tokyo – typical work. Condition: Excellent condition Provenance: From a German private collectionHEIGHT 3.4 CM, WIDTH 4.2 CM