Netsuke
mid 18th 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 of attaching the cord. In this example, there are a pair of holes (himotoshi) on the bottom of the sandal. Although netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated is the katabori (shape carving). This is a three-dimensional carving, such as this netsuke of a fox on a cloud.
The fox in Japanese mythology and folklore is both the God Inari of rice and crop protection as well as a mischievous ambivalent creature that could shape shift into human form. This netsuke depicts the God Inari walking above the clouds and could possibly have been worn as a good luck charm either for success in agriculture or fertility.
From the 18th century onwards, many more makers signed their netsukes. This example is signed Shoju.
The fox in Japanese mythology and folklore is both the God Inari of rice and crop protection as well as a mischievous ambivalent creature that could shape shift into human form. This netsuke depicts the God Inari walking above the clouds and could possibly have been worn as a good luck charm either for success in agriculture or fertility.
From the 18th century onwards, many more makers signed their netsukes. This example is signed Shoju.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved wood |
| Brief description | Netsuke, wood, fox on cloud, signed Shoju, mid 18th century, Japan |
| Physical description | Netsuke in wood of a fox on cloud, signed by Shoju |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | fox, inari, cloud, gohei (wand) |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Signed Shoju) |
| 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. |
| 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 of attaching the cord. In this example, there are a pair of holes (himotoshi) on the bottom of the sandal. Although netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated is the katabori (shape carving). This is a three-dimensional carving, such as this netsuke of a fox on a cloud. The fox in Japanese mythology and folklore is both the God Inari of rice and crop protection as well as a mischievous ambivalent creature that could shape shift into human form. This netsuke depicts the God Inari walking above the clouds and could possibly have been worn as a good luck charm either for success in agriculture or fertility. From the 18th century onwards, many more makers signed their netsukes. This example is signed Shoju. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.822-1910 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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