Netsuke of Two Figures
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Wood
Dimensions
H. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); W. 1 5/16 in. (3.4 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
10.211.2192
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Asian Art collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this charming *Netsuke of Two Figures* is a masterful example of 19th-century Japanese craftsmanship Carved from wood, the diminutive sculpture measures just 1 3/4 inches high and 1 5/16 inches wide, perfectly suited to its original purpose as a netsuke—a toggle used to secure inro (small medicine or tobacco pouches) to a kimono sash. Dating to the Edo period (1615–1868) or early Meiji era (1868–1912), it captures two male figures in intimate interaction, a common motif that brought whimsy and humanity to everyday accessori...