Netsuke
19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hardwearing. Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated being the katabori (shape carving), a three-dimensional carving, such as this one in the form of an octopus attacking a monkey.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved boxwood |
| Brief description | Nestuke, boxwood carved with an octopus attacking a monkey, Japan, 19th century. |
| Physical description | This carved boxwood netsuke is in the form of an octopus attacking a monkey. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Salting Bequest |
| Object history | Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hardwearing. Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated being the katabori (shape carving), a three-dimensional carving, such as this one in the form of an octopus attacking a monkey. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.938-1910 |
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| Record created | April 28, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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