Netsuke of Kyōgen Mask; Kitsune
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Wood
Dimensions
H. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm); W. 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm); D. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Classification
Netsuke
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo (1615–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1910
Accession Number
10.211.2426
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite netsuke depicts a Kyōgen mask of a kitsune, or fox spirit, carved from wood in 19th-century Japan during the late Edo (1615–1868) or Meiji (1868–1912) period. Measuring just 1⅜ inches high, these tiny toggles were essential accessories for securing inro pouches or pipes to a kimono sash, blending functionality with artistry. The fox's mischievous grin and exaggerated features capture the playful essence of Kyōgen theater, a comic interlude to the more serious Noh dramas, where masks like this brought supernatural characters to life on stage. In Japanese folklore, kitsune are cl...