Netsuke: 100 miniature masterpieces from Japan Noriko Tsuchiya (SAME DAY SHIP)

Description: What is a netsuke and how was it worn?Netsuke - literally meaning 'root' (ne) 'to attach' (tsuke) - were practical fashion accessories worn by Japanese men of the Edo period (1615- 1868). During that time, both men and women wore the traditional wrap-over robe called a kosode kimono (that is, a robe with a small sleeve opening, hereafter simply 'kimono'), with a sash, obi, that was tied around the waist. Kimono had no pockets, and only the woman's garment had places in the sleeves to keep small objects. In contrast, men would carry their personal accessories by hanging them from the sash. Such sagemono ('suspended items') comprised money pouches, smoking accessories (see opposite), small sets of writing equipment, and compartmented boxes (inro) to store personal seals or herbal medicine (see pp. 188- 189). Each item would be attached with a woven silk cord to a netsuke, always working as a unit or ensemble.These sagemono were usually kept closed by drawing the cords tight using a sliding piece, a kind of spherical bead with a hole through it called an ojime. Intricately carved from various materials including ivory, wood and metal, these tiny sculptures served a practical purpose in Japan: a netsuke was used as a toggle to fasten personal accessories to a man's sash, an integral part of Japanese costume. Worn from the late sixteenth century to the nineteenth century, netsuke were at first relatively basic objects that were rarely of artistic interest, but as time passed they evolved in terms of both materials and workmanship, and were then used by men to flaunt their wealth or as an expression of status.Today netsuke are considered an art form in their own right and are prized by collectors around the world. They continue to be carved and are found in a variety of forms that depict a wide range of subjects - including figures of human and legendary form, ghosts, animals, botanical subjects and masks.Skilfully worked, these miniature carvings are of great artistic value, but they also provide a window into Japanese culture and society of the Edo period (1615-1868).This book brings together one hundred of the most beautiful and interesting netsuke from the extensive collection of the British Museum, each of which has its own special charm and story to tell. Uncovering the stories behind these netsuke, and coupling them with stunning new photography, the book reveals why these tiny objects have captivated so many, the meaning they have held for those who wore them, and what they can tell us about Japanese everyday life during the Edo period.With 240 colour illustrations. Director's forewordAccessories for the global businessman that complement his dark suit are necktie, watch, cufflinks, designer eye-glasses and wallet, with the occasional foray into eye-catching socks and braces. The latest smart phone is now another means to impress. The situation for a male of the townsman class in Edo period (1615-1868) Japan - a merchant or artisan whose dress code was constrained by the laws laid down by his samurai rulers - was not, in practice, so very different. His basic robe had, by edict, to be subdued, but this could be offset with spectacular accessories, providing these were worn discreetly: a flashy lining to an otherwise plain jacket and lavishly crafted personal accessories hidden in the folds of his robes. These ranged from a tobacco pouch, pipe and pipe-case to the single sword permitted to some merchants, and also beautifully lacquered medicine- and seal-cases. With no pockets in a traditional kimono, smaller accessories were hung from the sash using silk cords. This is where the need evolved for a special toggle to secure the cord at the top of the sash - a netsuke. These were the pride and joy of their owner, ordered from named specialist carvers working in a variety of materials, principally ivory, bone and wood.With great inventiveness and unmatched skill, netsuke makers drew on centuries of Japanese visual culture to produce miniature masterpieces of sculpture on an extraordinary range of themes. In the late nineteenth century, foreign collectors of Japanese art became fascinated, obsessed even, to amass large holdings of the full range of subjects, techniques and makers. Over the last century and a half, the British Museum has been the beneficiary of much generosity from these passionate collectors. Already in the 1860s, very soon after Japan reopened to world trade, Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks, pre-eminent British Museum curator and benefactor, was acquiring netsuke and other Japanese decorative arts. In 1978-1984 the Museum received a spectacular gift of netsuke and related medicine-cases (inõ) from Professor John and Mrs Anne Hull Grundy.Along with these two great gifts have been many more acts of generosity.In featuring here one hundred netsuke from the British Museum's collection of more than 2,300, the guiding criteria have been quality and interest. We have been much assisted by the keen connoisseurial eye of Max Rutherston, to whom we give thanks. The Museum is grateful also to the Duke of Omnium Fund, which has supported the netsuke project overall.Netsuke are designed to be scrutinized at close quarters and the book features close-up views of the objects, which we hope you will enjoy. We invite you also to visit the Museum's Mitsubishi Corporation Japanese Galleries where a selection of the originals is always on display.Neil MacGregorDirector, British Museum. ORDER BEFORE 2 PM CENTRAL - SAME DAY SHIPPINGEB2411

Price: 14.99 USD

Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota

End Time: 2024-11-16T23:14:34.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6.13 USD