Netsuke, toggle of ivory (detail)

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This netsuke made of ivory is carved into a ball of comic masks. A netsuke is used to fasten an inro, a small lacquered container, which hung from the sash of a man's kimono. They became miniature art forms in their own right.

This detail of a netsuke of a ball of masks shows the mask of Okame, an old woman whose comic dance tempted the sun goddess, Amaterasu, out of her cave in early Japanese mythology. The himetoshi, holes for passing the cord through are both in the base.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-002-131-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1946.195
• Date: 19th century
  
• Material: Ivory
  Netsuke
  
• Dimensions: 1.25" x 1.50" x 1.50"
  
• What: Netsuke
  
• Subject: Netsuke / ivory
  
• Who: No theatre
  
• Where: Japan
  
• Event:
• Description: Netsuke of carved ivory, a cluster of thirteen No masks: Japan, 19th century
  
• References:
• Translations:
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