Lormet-Sculpture-0092c-sml

Japanese Netsuke Dragon2.

Netsuke are miniature Japanese sculptures that were invented in 17th-century Japan to serve a practical function.

A brief history of Netsuke:

The traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, has no pockets. Small personal items to be carried were either tucked into the kimono’s large sleeves, slipped under the sash (obi), or placed in small multi-compartment cases (inro) or other hanging containers (sagemono) that were suspended from the obi with cords. Netsuke—pronounced nets-keh—are toggles and were worn to counterbalance these containers. The cord of the inro, purse, or tobacco pouch was threaded under the obi and attached to the netsuke through holes or openings (himotoshi) in the netsuke. The netsuke held the entire ensemble in place by resting atop the obi and preventing the cord from slipping down.
It was during the 18th century that netsuke evolved from their earliest forms to expressive and sometimes quite ornate miniature works of art. In the late 18th and early 19th century, netsuke carvers honed their craft to its highest level. This period is considered the Golden Age of netsuke production.

Photo taken at the LACMA -- Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
www.lacma.org