Puppy and abalone

Maker Unidentified artist

Date19th century

MediumCarved ivory

Dimensions13/16 x 13/16 x 1 1/4 inches (2 x 2 x 3.1 cm)

CultureJapan

ClassificationsCostume

Credit LineBequest of Carl A. Kroch, Class of 1935

Terms

Costume
Costume accessories
Netsuke
Japanese
Carving
Ivory
Abalones
Animals
Dogs
Mollusks
Playing
Puppies
Seashells
Shells

Object number99.089.047

Label CopyBRIEF DESCRIPTION This is a netsuke carved in the form of a puppy with an abalone. WHERE WAS IT MADE? This netsuke was made in Japan. HOW WAS IT MADE? Netsuke made from ivory, like this one, were hand-carved with knives, chisels and files of different sizes. This netsuke was carved from a piece of ivory. HOW WAS IT USED? During the Edo period (1603-1868), the standard attire for a well-dressed Japanese man consisted of a kimono tied with a sash. Because kimonos had no pockets, accessory bags and carrying cases (called sagemono: hanging things) were used to hold personal items such as money, medicines, tobacco and seals (a stamp carved with the owner’s name). Silken cords, attached to the sagemono, were threaded through the kimono sash (obi). A toggle, called a netsuke, was attached to the other end of the cord to prevent it from slipping through the sash. To see a netsuke with an inro—one popular type of sagemono that consisted of small, stacked compartments for holding medicines—search for object number 98.087.006 in the keyword search box. The term netsuke comes from the words ne, meaning ‘root’ and tsuke, meaning ‘to fasten.’ Early netsuke may have been made from found objects such as pieces of roots, nuts, coral and bone. Over time, netsuke production became more and more varied, refined, and innovative, reaching a high point in the early 19th century. Subjects and decoration of netsuke and sagemono reflected the tastes and aspirations of their owners, often infused with an element of comic irony. As clothing traditions modernized, netsuke came to be collected separately from sagemono, and appreciated as sculptural gems in their own right. WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS? The Chinese calendar follows a sixty-year cycle, broken into five twelve-year units. Each of the twelve years is associated with an animal. The day is also divided into twelve periods, each associated with one of the twelve animals. The animals associated with the year and the hour of one’s birth have long been used in some Asian countries to predict one’s character and personality traits. The animals of the zodiac became popular subjects for netsuke during the 19th century, as people became interested in purchasing netsuke depicting the animal associated with their birth year, as well as building collections of all twelve animals. The twelve animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. In the zodiac, the dog is associated with qualities such as honesty, intelligence, loyalty and sociability. To see other dog netsuke in the Johnson Museum’s collection—made out of clay and wood—search for object numbers 87.048.028, 87.048.087, and 99.089.021 in the keyword search box.

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