Netsukes are very small sculptures created for a utilitarian purpose; they hold a container of personal items, called inro, that hung from the sash, or obi, worn with the kimono. They represent courtiers, gods, demons, animals and other characters that were perceived as decorative and attractive to foreign buyers. Furthermore, their small size, variety of represented subjects and detail have made them collectors’ items outside of Japan, since at least 1870.
This piece at the Pedro del Río Zañartu Museum, which is 2.5 cm in height, represents a mountain with a temple. We can appreciate lush vegetation, architectural details and human figures inhabiting the temple’s interior and exterior spaces, such as a person crossing a curved bridge. Pedro del Río acquired several of these figures, which are on display at the museum.