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 a female demon.
This style of mask would have been used in the play Dojoji and vividly portrays the anger and fury of the witch Kiyohime.
This style of mask would have been used in the play Dojoji and vividly portrays the anger and fury of the witch Kiyohime.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved wood |
| Brief description | Netsuke of a mask of a female demon, carved wood, Japanese, 19th century |
| Physical description | Nestuke in wood of a female demon |
| Dimensions |
|
| Content description | Female demon |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Signed Gyokurintei) |
| Credit line | Dresden Bequest |
| Object history | Bequeathed by Mr. Edmond Dresden, accessioned in 1904. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| 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 a female demon. This style of mask would have been used in the play Dojoji and vividly portrays the anger and fury of the witch Kiyohime. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 380-1904 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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