Netsuke in wood of a traveller carrying a bag with a demon peeping out, signed Riukei, c.1800, Japan
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c.1800
The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job.
In Japanese folklore oni or demons are devious creatures with an ugly appearance capable of causing mischief and misfortune. This finely carved netsuke is humorous in its depiction of the oni as its eyes playfully appear peaking out of the bag. Japanese and Chinese mythology and folklore provided a rich source of inspiration for Japanese carvers due to the rich diversity and fantasy of the subjects. From the 18 th century onwards, many more makers signed their netsukes.
This example is signed Riukei.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Height 3.49 cm; Length 3.49 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Carved wood and ivory
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- Japan
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O492868
- Museum object number
- A.28-1919
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.