Contemporary Netsuke:
Masterful Miniatures
History of Netsuke
Beginning in the seventeenth century, when kimonos were the favored garment of a broad spectrum of Japanese society, netsuke served as anchors to accessories such as medicine boxes, small purses, and tobacco pouches suspended on cords that hung from the obi (sash).
Netsuke were designed to allow the kimono-clad wearer to carry small items while wearing a garment devoid of pockets. With the opening of Japan’s ports by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854, the introduction of western-style clothing offered new sartorial choices. Japanese men favored western-style suits and uniforms for public occasions, causing the kimono to recede into the confines of the private sphere. No longer a required accouterment to the kimono, demand for netsuke as a functional accessory declined.
New markets for netsuke emerged when westerners became enamored by their exquisitely carved forms and unusual Japanese subjects. During the late nineteenth century, netsuke transitioned from fashion items to prized miniature sculptures. Concurrently, netsuke carvers adapted to an increasingly westernized and modernized world. No longer constrained by practical necessities that dictated compact designs and smooth surfaces to prevent abrasion of silk kimono or advocated the use of sturdy materials to minimize potential breakage, modern and contemporary carvers could incorporate new materials and unusual shapes into their work.
For a list of Public Programs in conjunction with the exhibition,
click here.
For a list of Weekend Intergenerational Workshop in conjunction with the exhibition,
click here.
For the Teachers' Resource Packet,
click here.