Catalogues of Exhibitions. Non-Illustr. Ser. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 Excerpt: ... present social life of the latter nation. We frequently find the subject derived from a collection of stories from old Chinese history read in the Japanese schools; still more often it is their own history, and especially stories of the heroes and warriors of the Middle Ages, that are illustrated. Not to be separated from either of these divisions by a sharp line, we have a class of mythological subjects; or, finally, the motif is taken from every-day life--humorous renderings of types of man and beast to be seen daily in the streets or fields. In comparing the various collections here exhibited it will be seen that the same subject is frequently repeated, --two or more Netsukes appear at first sight identical; but a closer examination always shows minor variations in attitude or arrangement of dress, proving that though the carver may have treated his subject according to a conventional arrangement, there is no servile copying. A very brief explanation of the subjects treated is attempted in the case of a few of these carvings. On the Top Shelf. Thirty-six Netsuke and other Carvings. Sir Trevor Lawrence. Among others--One of the Ni-6 (the two guardian kings, whose statues stand beside the gates of Buddhist temples) being daubed with paint by a number of boys. Kaminari San, the thunder god, surrounded by his zone of drums. He is seen again, with a single large drum, in a wooden netsuke on the same shelf. Kato Kiyomasa, owe of the commanders of Taiko's expedition to the Corea, slaying a tiger. 'Mame-kake ' scattering beans at the New Year to drive away evil spirits. Two Men, playing goban, inside a peach--from a Chinese fairy story. Warrior slaying a gigantic boar--an incident from the time when Yoritomo, the first Shogun, hunted on Fuji-no-yama. "Shi-n...