Netsuke: Fantasy and Reality in Japanese Miniature Sculpture

by Joe Earle

An elegant and insightful book.
-- The Art Newspaper
Exquisite.
-- Boston Globe
Joe Earle... has enlightened us with new facts associated with the subjects portrayed in netsuke and new insight into the background of this unique world... An excellent, well-written tome and a worthy addition to one's library.
-- International Netsuke Society Journal
Netsuke--tiny sculptures used to secure pouches to the kimono--have long been an obsession for collectors in both East and West. They depict a variety of figures, both domestic and exotic, from marketplace tradesmen to otherworldly beings to perfectly rendered animals. This superbly illustrated, accessibly written volume examines netsuke in the context of Japanese life and details the origins of designs that have evolved through the centuries. It delves into the minds of the artists and explores the question of the objects' use, both functional and symbolic. Featuring 300 netsuke from three world-renowned collections, this is the definitive work on these remarkably minute, endlessly intricate objects.

Genres: Japan

356 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001