Inro Nezumi

#nezumi #yearoftherat #2020 #mouse #inro #japanese lacquer

INRO NEZUMI

Here are 3 delightful inro featuring nezumi to enjoy ! They also shows the diversity of techniques used to make lacquered objects and turn them into small elegant treasures.

A tonally restrained but wonderful use of the sprinkled gold dust technique 

A  beautiful netsuke attached to a polychrome lacquer with very limited use of gold and skilled use of the low relief technique 

A small ivory netsuke contrasts with plain black and gold used for an outline rather than tone.

The September theme is ...

September #Kigo

Which of the Seven Autumn Plant is draped over this Wild boars back?
Which plant tops the list and features in waka and haiku as far back as the Manyoshu ?

HAGI 

Hagi also known as Lespedeza and Bush Clover is the September theme !

Year of the Monkey - MONKEY ART THREE

#yearofthemonkey #monkey #nikko #threemonkeys

This relief sculpture at #Nikko Shrine seems to be the oldest known depiction of the Three Monkeys theme drawing on Tendai Buddhism ...probably?

If you have or have seen a netsuke inro print or okimono using this theme is the ancestor ...speaking of which ... the Art Gallery of South Australia has a delightful example.