49. NETSUKE EN BOIS REPRÉSENTANT FUTEN Par Unjudo-in Shidemaru, fin du XVIIIe siècle A WOOD NETSUKE OF FUTEN By Unjudoin Shidemaru, late 18th century Futen the God of Wind emerging from a long conical cloud of vapour, baring his teeth in an open grin, revealing a loose ball within, the eyes inlaid; signed Shidemaru. 9.6cm (3¾in) high. 木彫根付　風天　銘「幣丸」　18世紀後期 Provenance: Purchased from Bernard Fournier, December 1985. Exhibited and Published: NS19, p.61, no.94. Only a handful of very similar (but not identical) versions of this very rare netsuke are known. Over the years, the readings of their signatures have ranged from (Shu)memaru to Hidemaru, Heimaru, and Heigan, but we prefer to attribute the carving to Shidemaru, a more plausible interpretation since shide and maru are kun-yomi (Japanese readings) of the characters in the name as listed in Soken Kisho, vol.7, p.13. Our reading is consistent with the opinion of Nori Watanabe, former president of the Nihon Netsuke Kenkyukai (Japan Netsuke Society), who concluded that Shumemaru, as given in Soken Kisho, was most likely a corrupted form of Shidemaru. The aforementioned variants including a similar example signed Heihi, are recorded by G. Lazarnick, NIA, pp.454-455 and F. Meinertzhagen, MCI, p.132. Another example, catalogued as by Unjudo Shumemaru, is published by Mikhail V. Uspensky, Netsuke in the Collection of the State Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Slavia Art Books, 1994, p.199. For another identified as by Shumemaru accompanied by an in-depth discussion of the signature reading and artist, see Sydney L. Moss, MRMT, no.10 (also illustrated on the front cover). For one last example, see R. Bushell, NFU, p.225, no.750.