Ohara Mitsuhiro
Hello on Sunday! Today, we start our new partnership with the Walters Museum of Art in Baltimore. Be prepared for amazing, beautiful masterpieces like the one we present today. Enjoy!
Netsuke (toggle fasteners) were fashion accessories for kimono-clad wealthy men of the Edo period (1615–1868) in Japan. As kimonos did not have pockets, netsuke functioned as toggles for securing inro (small carrying cases), pillboxes, or tobacco pouches. Japanese men hung such personal objects from a cord slipped under the waist sash (obi) and secured with a netsuke that sits on top of the sash.
Netsuke were created in a wide variety of materials and portrayed equally diverse subject matter. The decoration of each netsuke is determined by factors such as the season, the occasion, the symbolism, or individual taste. Often humorously designed and always meticulously carved, netsuke were miniature sculptures that were appreciated then and now for their craftsmanship and playfulness.
The dog represented the 11th year in the Chinese and Japanese 12-year cycle and was popularly regarded as a dispeller of evil. It was frequently portrayed as a puppy. Ohara Mitsuhiro, one of the most versatile and highly regarded netsuke artists of the mid-19th century, was born in Onomichi, near Hiroshima, and became an adherent of Zen Buddhism. In this example of his work, the smooth, rounded, subtly stained surface appeals to the viewer's tactile sense.
It's such a cute puppy! If you're ready for the cuteness overload don't miss out on our Animals Postcards!
P.S. Explore the miniature world of netsuke, it will blow your mind!