Manju: Netsuke From the Collection of the Ashmolean Museum
Oxford: Ashmolean Art Museum, 2013. Hardcover. Black cloth boards with silver spine lettering, glossy black dust jacket with white lettering, color illustrated, xiii, 319 pp, profusely illustrated in color. VG+/VG (ligh curling to dust jacket). Item #179592
ISBN: 9781854442796
"Manju netsuke have never been the subject of a book on netsuke. Many books ignore them completely and it is hoped that this catalogue will throw light on the differences between the manju and other better-known types of netsuke. Dr. Barnett was one of a handful of collectors of one particular type of netsuke, the manju. These were not widely appreciated until about ten years ago when interest began to increase and the exquisite workmanship and design of this group of carvers was noticed as an art in its own right and one which presents the artist with a challenge completely different from the more popular katabori netsuke, carved in the round. Dr. Barnett continued to collect until just before her death in 2000, by which time she had acquired some of the finest pieces to be sold over 30 years which will be presented in this book. Manju netsuke have played a small part in the many publications on netsuke, but there has never been a catalogue entirely devoted to the subject. The book aims to provide a description of each object and to explain the tales they illustrate and the sources of these tales, from literature and printed picture books. The range of subjects is wide and includes religious images, scenes from festivals, the theatre, historical incidents, folktales, classical literature and themes from nature."--Publisher's description.
OCLC: 820434328
Price: $40.00