In Japanese art, Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, Kenkyusha Limited, is a Japanese term meaning "ornament for display; objet d'art; decorative object", for small objects typically displayed in a alcove or altar. The nearest equivalent term in Western art is probably objet d'art.
During the Meiji period and thereafter, many were made for export to the West.
An may be a small Japanese carving, similar to, but larger than . Unlike , which have a specific purpose, are purely decorative and are displayed in the . This view has however sometimes been questioned, with some suggesting that often had both utilitarian and decorative purposes, especially before Western influence. An can be made out of wood, ivory, ceramic or metal.
One subcategory of is the , an articulated figure, typically of an animal, made out of bronze or iron. are normally not larger than a few centimetres. They depict all sorts of animals, mythological beasts, humans, gods, fruit, vegetables and objects, sometimes combined with each other, in all sorts of positions. Sometimes a scene is portrayed as well, either a daily scene or from a story.
Anything that could be carved or made into a small object can be used in an . Some were inspired by a group of objects and were supposed to be shown together as an ensemble.
Etymology The Japanese word compounds and .. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the loanword as "A standing ornament or figure, esp. one put in a guest room of a house", and records the first usage in 1886 by William Anderson.Oxford English Dictionary (2009), CD-ROM edition (v. 4.0).
Example Ivory Okimono Depicting a Rakan (circa 1860–1900)
This small ivory okimono represents a Rakan, an iconic figure in Buddhism embodying wisdom and compassion. The Rakan symbolizes enlightenment and serves as a model for Buddhist monks. The sculpture shows the Rakan seated on a rock, holding a hossu, a ritual fly whisk used in Buddhist ceremonies. He is dressed in a kesa decorated with a dragon motif and a shisa head, traditional Japanese symbols of protection and power. It is carved from a single piece of ivory, demonstrating exceptional finesse.
Artists One of the most renowned artists in the area of metalwork was Yamada Sōbi (1871-1916), who made pieces out of a single sheet of metal.
References
External links
Netsuke: masterpieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains many example English online dictionary definition, related information, and various visual examples