Netsuke

This exhibition catalogue includes 185 works by Japanese carvers. Netsuke is a small keychain that was used in Japan in the 17th-19th centuries for attaching necessary little things to a belt: tobacco pouch or medicine box. Carved in wood or ivory, figures in the form of animals, mythical creatures, funny characters from a city fair or gods who grant good luck in the 18th century turned from purely utilitarian objects into real works of art that adorned the costumes of samurai and wealthy citizens. Since the second half of the XIX century, netsuke began to be collected in Europe, and now this hobby unites many collectors around the world. The catalogue presents the work of renowned carvers: Tomotada, Masanao, Okatomo, Tametaka, Tadatoshi, Mitsuhiro, Kaygokusai, Otoman and many others.