Fu Dog Netsuke Ornament, Assorted Designs – British Museum
£45.00
Product description from their website:
A hand-carved rosewood netsuke ornament depicting a fu dog.
An exquisite, hand-carved boxwood netsuke featuring a fierce and detailed fu dog, otherwise known as a Chinese guardian lion. The rich, deep grain of the boxwood gives this traditional Japanese ornament a beautiful, tactile finish that deepens with age.
Please note, these netsuke are available in assorted designs. Each order is selected at random, and specific designs cannot be guaranteed.
Netsuke are Japanese miniature ornamental sculptures which were originally invented in the 17th century, during the Edo Period, to serve a practical function. Traditional robe garments, such as kosode and kimono had no pockets, so men would carry small, often ornamental containers called inro which they would secure to their obi sashes with a cord fastened with a carved netsuke. Netsuke, originally plain toggles, evolved into highly detailed artistic creations, often representing humans, gods and animals. In recent years, they have become exceedingly popular among collectors.
In Japan, the ‘fu dog’, also known as komainu, is a mythical lion-like guardian statue traditionally standing at the entrance of palaces and tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of the wealthy, and believed to possess powerful mythic protective abilities. Originating from the Chinese ‘fu dogs’, these creatures are a popular symbol of strength and spiritual protection in both Japanese and Chinese cultures.
A wonderful gift for a lover of Japanese craft and Chinese mythology.