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 hard-wearing. 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 rat-catcher.
People, whether real, imaginary or historical, provided a rich source of inspiration for netsuke carvers. Of particular appeal during the 19th century were depictions of city life, trades and occupations. This example shows a rat-catcher at work, with a rat crawling across his back. He is extremely realistically carved, his muscles tense and a look of anger on his face as the rat escapes.
People, whether real, imaginary or historical, provided a rich source of inspiration for netsuke carvers. Of particular appeal during the 19th century were depictions of city life, trades and occupations. This example shows a rat-catcher at work, with a rat crawling across his back. He is extremely realistically carved, his muscles tense and a look of anger on his face as the rat escapes.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved and stained ivory |
| Brief description | Netsuke in the form of a thwarted rat catcher, carved ivory, signed Masanari(?) or Seikei(?), Japanese, 19th century. |
| Physical description | This carved and stained ivory netsuke is in the form of a thwarted rat catcher, who is crouched on the ground and grimacing in frustration; he holds a club in one hand and rests his other hand on a box for the dead rat who scampers away over the catcher's back. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Artist's signature on the bottom, which is read either ?Masanari or ?Seikei)
|
| 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. |
| 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 hard-wearing. 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 rat-catcher. People, whether real, imaginary or historical, provided a rich source of inspiration for netsuke carvers. Of particular appeal during the 19th century were depictions of city life, trades and occupations. This example shows a rat-catcher at work, with a rat crawling across his back. He is extremely realistically carved, his muscles tense and a look of anger on his face as the rat escapes. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 529-1904 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 30, 2004 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
