Netsuke, figure of Mōsō digging up a bamboo shoot, carved and stained ivory, Japan, 19th century.

Carved and stained ivory netsuke in shape of man digging up bamboo shoot under snow-laden bamboo plant. The netsuke is a toggle. Netsuke were first and foremost functional and had to comply with certain basic requirements that also imposed practical limitations on them.

They had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job, while also being strong and hardwearing. Above all they had to have the means of attaching to a cord. Netsuke also needed to be reasonably compact, with no sharp protrusions that might snag on the fabric of the clothing, this being a perfect example. This netsuke depicts Moso (Chinese: Meng Zong), one of the 24 examplars of Chinese filial piety. According to legend, in the middle of winter when there was a thick covering of snow, Moso’s mother had a yearning for bamboo shoots.

Moso dutifully set off to search for the unseasonal delicacy. Against all odds he found some and on the netsuke, is shown cutting the bamboo shoots. The depiction of such complex subjects was popular during the 19th century when this netsuke was carved. Through careful planning, the artist has skilfully managed to depict all the elements, and has yet managed to retain the compactness essential of netsuke.