POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Inro and mask netsuke made from lacquered wood.

Object No. 217A

As traditional Japanese dress had no pockets, items of daily use were carried using sagemono. Sagemono is the collective name given to objects that hang from the kimono's sash, and includes the inro and netsuke. Inro are small cases made up of a number of sections, stacked tightly on top of one another, that were originally used to carry a person's seal and ink. They were later used to carry medicine supplies (hence they are often referred to as medicine boxes) along with other personal effects. Inro were carried on a silk chord (himo) which was threaded through an ojime (chord tightener) and attached to the netsuke (toggle). The netsuke (toggle) was passed behind the obi (belt, or shash), then hooked over the top of the belt to stop the inro from falling. The majority of inro were made of lacquer and netsuke were commonly carved from wood or ivory. During the 18th century the subject matter of both inro and netsuke was frequently mythology and animals. Later designs included scenes and motifs from everyday life. The increase in Western trade and tourism during the late 19th century marked a period of change in Japanese art and design. As western fashion was introduced to Japan the traditional style of dress, including the kimono, virtually disappeared from use. Although items such as netsuke and inro continued to be made their production became decorative rather than practical in application, and they were largely exported to the West where they were collected as curios. This change in Japanese dress was to affect the livelihood of traditional craftspeople such as carvers and lacquer artists. With the adoption of Western styles of clothing which included pockets, and the use of cigarettes instead of pipes, netsukes lost there popularity in Japan. Instead Westerners began collecting these finely detailed carvings and Japanese craftsmen started to shape their carving towards Western tastes. This particular object is a four-case inro with brown lacquer ground and gold decoration of a rooster, hen and bamboo. The rooster is a symbol of the male principle. The wooden netsuke is carved in the form of a Noh theatre mask. Noh, a highly stylised classical performance, dates in Japan from the 14th century. This inro and netsuke is part of the highly significant New South Wales Applied Arts Trust Collection. The collection was placed on permanent loan to the Museum in 1927, and comprises a significance collection of objects from all over the world, in particular Asia. REF: Bushell, Raymond, 'The Inro Handbook: Studies of Netsuke, Inro and Lacquer', Weatherhill, New York, 1989 Jirka-Schmitz, Patrizia, 'The World of Netsuke', Arnoldsche Art Productions, Dusseldorf, 2005 Catalogue of the 'Dr. R. A. Fox Collection of Oriental Art Treasures' (6 and 7 October, 1927), part of the Powerhouse Museum collection