224 



THE MUSEUM. 



eral misconception. To trace the 

 Netsuke to its birth would be a diffi- 

 cult undertaking for even a Japanese 

 connoisseur. It will, perhaps, be the 

 easiest task if we start backward, in 

 true Japanese fashion, for then our 

 foundation will be an assured one. 



The Netsuke of today is a Netsuke 

 in no sense of the word. It and its 

 fellows date no farther back than thir- 

 ty years, and the material employed 

 is almost invariably ivory. Often- 

 times it is not even allowed to retain 

 its original color, but is stained with 

 tea and other substances to enhance 

 its value by a spurious appearance of 

 age The interval between 1860 and 

 the commencement of the century is 

 noticable for considerable elaboration, 

 especially in the detail, and the 

 progress of the popular school is seen 

 in the frequent treatment of subjects 

 taken the life of the people. 



Around iSco and somewhat earlier, 

 we have many masters leproducing 

 these studies from life with marvelous 

 fidelity, especially Mdsatiao, Minko 

 and Fakatashi. 



The last half of the eighteenth cen- 

 tury differs only in greater simplicity 

 in treatment and a narrower range of 

 subject. 



Lacquered and colored Netsukes 

 have apparently been made from the 

 very eaily times, especially those coat- 

 ed with red lacquer. In 1614 an edict 

 was issued by Hitdetada that every 

 house should contain an image of a 

 Buddhist Diety. This edict brought 

 into the ranks of the oidinar}' carpen- 

 ters of that day a considerable infus- 

 ion of men of a more artistic nature 

 who Would occupy themselves not on- 

 ly with the larger temple idols but the 

 smaller personations It was about 



this time that Netsukes first began to 

 be artistically decorated. 



Concerning the evolution of Net- 

 sukes -both they and the "iuro" have 

 been considered to be essentially Jap- 

 anese. The Netsuke has been one of 

 the articles to which Japanese origin 

 has never been assigned, but researches 

 strengthen the opinion that they are 

 not peculiar to Japan. Examination 

 of a large number evidences that the 

 subjects and dress are Chinese. 



Because we of the west see the Net- 

 suke attached to the "iuro," we regard 

 it as particularly designed as an ad- 

 junct to that article; but this was but 

 one, and that a minor office. Its main 

 one seems to have been as a sort of 

 button til hold the tobacco pouch in 

 the girdle. In Japan everyone smokes, 

 but everyone does not carry a medi- 

 cine or seal case. It may then be de- 

 fined as a toggle to hold in the "obi" 

 or girdle either the tobacC(j pouch, 

 pipe or brush case, purse, snuff or wat- 

 er bottle, medicine or seal cibe. 



About ever} condition if man wear 

 the Netsuke. From the noble down 

 ti,j the coolie it is found to be in uni- 

 versal use. On occasions both tobac- 

 co pouch and "iuro" would be slung 

 from Netsukes, the former on the left 

 side, the latter behind the body under 

 the right shoulder. 



The shape of the Netsuke varies 

 considerably. The accompanj ing il- 

 lustrations bhow representative pieces 

 — the circular or rounded fjrm is the 

 most usual Of these there are two 

 that are defined: one is termed •niati- 

 ju" because it assumes the similitude 

 of a rice cake. The other "kagami- 

 buta" because the metal center enclos- 

 ed in ivory resembles a mirror — "pag- 

 ami." One example shown in cut rep- 



