223 - NETSUKE depicting an OLD MAN carrying a CHIKARAISHI

NETSUKE depicting an OLD MAN carrying a CHIKARAISHI Japan, Edo period (1868–1912) Carved wood This netsuke, carved from a single block of wood, features a skull topped by a frog and resting on a water lily leaf. The frog on a skull is part of the symbolism in Japanese art surrounding death, impermanence, and renewal. The skull evokes mujō, the impermanence of all things, while the frog (kaeru)—a homophone for “to return”—symbolizes return and the cycle of life. The lotus or water lily, associated with rebirth and transformation, completes this symbolism. The piece as a whole can thus be interpreted as a meditation on death, the passage of time, and the perpetual renewal of life. The use of the netsuke serves a very specific sartorial function. The kimono, the traditional Japanese garment, has no fastening system, no button placket, no loops, and no pockets. It is held closed by the obi, a wide strip of fabric tied around the waist, which serves as a belt. It was from this obi that the Japanese would hang their inrō, a small compartmentalized box used to carry various everyday items. The inrō was attached to a cord that passed under the obi. The netsuke, fastened to the end of this cord and positioned above the upper edge of the belt, blocked the cord’s passage and thus held the entire assembly in place. It thus served a function that was both practical and mechanical, comparable to that of a cleat or a counterweight. Provenance: - Alain Barrière collection