The small figurines include rare works from Japanese private collections that are more than 200 years old, as well as works by modern artists. The figurines are made of ivory, stone, or wood. There sculptures are valued highly namely for this fine work. The exhibit showcases more than 100 exquisite figurines.
“Netsuke is a very specific Japanese art. The 2-3-cm tall figurines reflect numerous Japanese motifs: the history of Japan, ancient tales, and religion. This is a small item that is hard to make, and it is incredibly valuable,” the curator of the exhibit Natsuo MIYASHITA said.
On the one hand, netsuke was a part of a Japanese men’s costume and used as a pendant. On the other hand, netsuke is also a genre sculpture, which shows high professionalism of the Japanese craftsmen.
A special attention in the exposition is paid to the netsuke from the collection of well-known Ukrainian collector Borys Filatov, who has been collecting these miniature masterpieces for more than 10 years.
