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netsuke
Object Type
netsuke
Museum number
1945,1017.596
Description
Netsuke. Daikoku and Hotei wrestling. Made of ivory.
Cultures/periods
Edo Period
Production date
Late 18thC
Production place
Made in:
Japan
Materials
ivory
Technique
carved
Dimensions
Height:
6.90 centimetres
Curator's comments
The Seven Gods of Good Fortune, Shichifukujin, are probably the best known among the many characters of Buddhist origin who were adopted in Japan and became a popular subject for netsuke. Throughout the Edo period (1615-1868), festivals were frequently held at shrines all over Japan, in which sumo wrestling competitions were dedicated together with prayers to the gods for plentiful grain harvests. This type of netsuke may have been commissioned by a merchant as a talisman. (Tsuchiya, 2015)
Bibliographic references
Barker & Smith 1976 / Netsuke: The Miniature Sculpture of Japan
(336)
Tsuchiya 2014 / Netsuke: 100 Miniature Masterpieces from Japan
(pp.68-69)
Location
Not on display
Subjects
wrestling/wrestler
seven gods of good fortune
Associated names
Associated with:
Budai 布袋
Associated with:
Daikoku 大黒
Acquisition name
Bequeathed by:
Oscar Charles Raphael
Acquisition date
1945
Department
Asia
Registration number
1945,1017.596
Conservation
Treatment
: 20 Feb 2006