Jack Kutu and the art of netsuke

Jack Kutu (1924-2017)
Jack Kutu (1924-2017)

Raymond John Coutu (1924 – 2017) or Jack Coutu, as he later preferred to call himself, was an English engraver, carver, watercolourist and teacher. His work was greatly influenced by the art of East Asia.

Jack Cutu was born in Farnham, Surrey, and after leaving school in 1940 went to work for Abbott of Farnham, a coachbuilder, where his father, Bert Cutu, also worked, who painted coats of arms and heraldic shields. In 1942, at the height of World War II, he served in the Royal Corps of Signals in Ceylon, India and Singapore, and finished his service in Kure, in the Japanese prefecture of Hiroshima.

From 1947 to 1951 Kutu studied at the Farnham School of Art, then at the Royal College of Art in London (1951-1954) and at the Central School of Art (1951-1955). After graduation, Kutu chose to teach printmaking at the Central School of Art and later at the West Surrey College of Art and Design in Farnham. Jack Kutu’s passion for the art of netsuke became his life’s work. He was a member of the Kenkyukai Netsuke Carvers Society and a member of the Royal Society of Printers and Engravers.

Sashi-netsuke by Jack Coutu

In this selection you will see sashi-netsuke by Jack Coutu, which are long thin netsuke, usually carved from the tusk of a wild boar, and you will be able to appreciate the art of the artist and engraver, who created elegant miniatures with animals and insects, on such unusual material.

Boar tusk netsuke with boxwood snail, wide end trimmed with bone and carved ornament depicting mushrooms, length 10.4 cm, Jack Kutu, 1998
Boar tusk netsuke with boxwood snail, wide end trimmed with bone and carved ornament depicting mushrooms, length 10.4 cm, 1998
Netsuke with the image of a grasshopper, the wide end is trimmed with boxwood with a carved image of mushrooms, length 19.5 cm, Jack Kutu, 1998
Netsuke with the image of a grasshopper, the wide end is trimmed with boxwood with a carved image of mushrooms, length 19.5 cm, 1998
Netsuke depicting a peregrine falcon and its chicks, the wide end is trimmed with boxwood, length 10.7 cm, Jack Kutu, 2001
Netsuke depicting a peregrine falcon and its chicks, the wide end is trimmed with boxwood, length 10.7 cm, 2001
Boar tusk netsuke depicting the flight of pelicans among the clouds, the wide end is trimmed with bone, length 10.2 cm, Jack Kutu, 1996
Boar tusk netsuke depicting the flight of pelicans among the clouds, the wide end is trimmed with bone, length 10.2 cm, 1996
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a pike chasing a flock of minnows, the wide end is trimmed with ebony, length 10.2 cm, Jack Kutu, 1980-1981.
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a pike chasing a flock of minnows, the wide end is trimmed with ebony, length 10.2 cm, 1980-1981.
Netsuke depicting a squirrel reaching with its front paws towards a pine cone, its eye is inlaid with a horn, the wide end of the canine is trimmed with ebony, length 8.5 cm, Jack Kutu, 2006
Netsuke depicting a squirrel reaching with its front paws towards a pine cone, its eye is inlaid with a horn, the wide end of the canine is trimmed with ebony, length 8.5 cm,2006
Boar tusk netsuke with boxwood triton, eyes inlaid with horn, length 12 cm, Jack Kutu, 1995
Boar tusk netsuke with boxwood triton, eyes inlaid with horn, length 12 cm, Jack Kutu, 1995
Netsuke from a tusk of a wild boar depicting a hare among the grass, the eye is inlaid with a horn, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with a light horn, length 10.5 cm, Jack Kutu, circa 1970-1980.
Netsuke from a tusk of a wild boar depicting a hare among the grass, the eye is inlaid with a horn, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with a light horn, length 10.5 cm, Jack Kutu, circa 1970-1980.
Boar fang netsuke depicting a toad and a grasshopper, the toad's eye is inlaid with a horn, the wide end of the fang is trimmed with bone, length 10.5 cm, Jack Kutu, circa 1976-1977.
Boar fang netsuke depicting a toad and a grasshopper, the toad’s eye is inlaid with a horn, the wide end of the fang is trimmed with bone, length 10.5 cm, Jack Kutu, circa 1976-1977.
Boar tusk netsuke depicting ducks and ducklings, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with boxwood, length 12.2 cm, Jack Kutu, 2000
Boar tusk netsuke depicting ducks and ducklings, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with boxwood, length 12.2 cm, Jack Kutu, 2000
Boar fang netsuke depicting a rat running away from an owl, the owl's eye is inlaid with silver, the wide end of the fang is trimmed with ebony, length 12.3 cm, Jack Kutu, 1973
Netsuke depicting a rat running away from an owl, the owl’s eye is inlaid with silver, the wide end of the fang is trimmed with ebony, length 12.3 cm, Jack Kutu, 1973
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a bat and a bunch of mushrooms, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 12.3 cm, Jack Coutu, 2002
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a bat and a bunch of mushrooms, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 12.3 cm, Jack Kutu, 2002
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a silkworm butterfly, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with boxwood, length 11.1 cm, Jack Coutu, 1993
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a silkworm butterfly, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with boxwood, length 11.1 cm, Jack Kutu, 1993
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a white hare in a snowy hole, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with painted wood, length 10.8 cm, Jack Kutu, 1996
Netsuke depicting a white hare in a snowy hole, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with painted wood, length 10.8 cm, Jack Kutu, 1996
Boar fang netsuke depicting chicks on a branch, eyes inlaid with a dark horn, wide end of the fang trimmed with ebony, length 11 cm, Jack Kutu, 1991
Boar fang netsuke depicting chicks on a branch, eyes inlaid with a dark horn, wide end of the fang trimmed with ebony, length 11 cm, Jack Kutu, 1991
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a mermaid and cuttlefish, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 16.2 cm, Jack Coutu, 1984
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a mermaid and cuttlefish, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 16.2 cm, Jack Kutu, 1984
Boar tusk netsuke with boxwood ferret, height 9.5 cm, Jack Coutu
Netsuke with boxwood ferret, height 9.5 cm
Boar fang netsuke depicting a weasel chasing a bird, inlaid with silver, the wide end of the fang is trimmed with ebony, length 10.9 cm, Jack Coutu, 1987
Boar fang netsuke depicting a weasel chasing a bird, inlaid with silver, the wide end of the fang is trimmed with ebony, length 10.9 cm, 1987
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a wasp building a nest, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 10.7 cm, Jack Coutu, 1989
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a wasp building a nest, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 10.7 cm, Jack Coutu, 1989
Boar tusk netsuke depicting a bird feather, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 11.9 cm, Jack Coutu, 1973
Netsuke depicting a bird feather, the wide end of the tusk is trimmed with ebony, length 11.9 cm, 1973
Like this post? Please share to your friends:
Culturical