Materials: Ivory (material) / Production place: Japan / Function: 2.2 Personal Adornments and Accoutrements - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Materials Ivory (material) Production place Japan Function 2.2 Personal Adornments and Accoutrements

Hearst Museum object titled Netsuke, accession number 9-7931, described as Netsuke: barefoot bald man holding a staff with rings in his right hand, an open fan in his left. 4.9 cm. ••According to the donor's catalog: "Netsuke in ivory of a man, standing. He is bald-robed—and-bare-footed. In his right hand he holds a shakujo (a staff with rings) and in his left an open large fan—which semi-conceals his face—which is smiling. This Daimon was the original ventriloquist. The Nanuta Bushi (orginally Fushi, meaning musical) is the ventriloquist evolution from Fushi—meaning musical— Nanuta, the old name for Osaka in distinction from Edo Bushi (Tokyo) the rural school of ventriloquists. The Buddhist priests used to carry a shakujo to warn the insects on their paths against being crushed by their bare feet—the feet bare also to lessen the danger to the insects. The ventriloquist shakes his shakujo to warn his audience of the approaching joke and laughs behind his fan—for the approaching joke, it being considered by the Japanese bad taste to laugh openly, in the face of someone else. It also is considered bad taste ever to point with the finger—it must be done with some object held in the hand (like a pen). Notice: Image restricted due to its potentially sensitive nature. Contact Museum to request access.

Hearst Museum object titled Netsuke, accession number 9-7489, described as Netsuke: man with mouth opened wide, huge teeth. Robe decorated with green and red circles. Carries staff. Depicts Ranryo dancer wearing mask.

Hearst Museum object titled Netsuke, accession number 9-7484, described as Netsuke: puppy with head between his paws. Wears ribbon collar.

Hearst Museum object titled Netsuke, accession number 9-7473, described as Netsuke: standing, robed figure of man with incense box in left hand. Right hand raised. Figure wearing court dress.

Hearst Museum object titled Netsuke, accession number 9-8973, described as Netsuke: woman leaning against a large loopy sack on which a dog lies. 3.0 cm.