Netsuke Fantasy and Reality in Japanese Miniature Sculpture

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.Earle, Joe is the author of 'Netsuke Fantasy and Reality in Japanese Miniature Sculpture', published 2004 under ISBN 9780878466757 and ISBN 0878466754.