Netsuke

These beautiful carvings represent some of the finest examples of Japanese art. But what are they? The Japanese, ever resourceful, took a simple everyday device and developed it into a sophisticated art form. Look at the drawing above illustrating the elegant kimono, the traditional Japanese attire. There were no pockets, so anything that needed to be carried, such as pouches and money, were carried inside the sleeves. To address this need, men would place objects inside a sagemono, which was suspended from a silk cord on their obi. The netsuke was placed on the opposite end of the cord to prevent it from slipping through the obi. Thus, when you examine the netsuke, there will always be a space or a hole for the silk cord to enter.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, visit the Japanese Pavillion at the Los Angeles Art Museum. As you enter, there is a large room preserving and displaying one of the world's largest collections of netsuke. Each netsuke will captivate your imagination. The requiebros for me is to stand in this room and allow myself to be lost in time, surrounded by animals, mythological creatures, and highly stylized figures.

Additional Links

Japanese Pavillion at LACMA
International Netsuke Society