Netsuke

“ It is wonderful what felicity of phrase, melody of versification, and true sentiment can be compressed within these narrow limits. In their way nothing can be more perfect than some of these little poems. They remind us of those tiny carvings known to us as Netsuke, in which exquisite skill of workmanship is displayed in fashioning figures an inch or two in height, or of those sketches where the Japanese artist has managed to produce a truly admirable effect by a few dexterous strokes of the brush.
Next to the Tanka, the most common kind of classical metre is the Naga-uta or "long poetry." ”

“ The chiselling of these metal plates (kagami-buta) fell to the task not of the netsuke-maker but of the goldsmith (kinzoku-shi) , to whom there will presently be occasion to refer. As to the first kind of button-netsuke, it varies greatly in size, some being as much as three inches in diameter, and others not more than one inch. The common size is about an inch and a half. In the case of these netsukes the artist had to decorate a surface only; a much easier achievement than the chiselling of the statuette-netsuke. ”

“ For example, he will carve a Daruma with eyes that turn in the head. His works are much liked, and his skill may be inferred from the fact that though he is still (1781) living, there are many imitations of his netsuke.” Mitsubashi. Riuun. 19th cent. (d. 1897.) A wood-carver of Tokyo, highly skilled in chiselling designs in medium relief. Much of his work was done for bronze-casters, so that few specimens remain. Mitsuharu. 18th cent. A netsuke-carver of Kyoto. “Several fine netsuke bear his name.”—Soken Kisho. Mitsuhiro. 19th cent. (d. 1865.) A netsuke-carver of Osaka ”

“ Netsuke-carver. Miao. Yeisuke. Present day. A bronze-founder of Yokohama. Michimasa. (d. 1690.) Yagoro. Metal-founder. Minko. There were three netsuke-shi of this name. The first was a contemporary of Miwa, and is separately noticed. The second, a woman, worked in the Tempo era (1830–43) , and the third, Tsunohan Minko, was a great sculptor, who died about the year 1850. Minko. 18th cent. A netsuke-carver of Tsu in Ise. The Soken Kisho says: “His skill in wood-carving is very remarkable, especially in the production of ingenious and interesting figures. ”

“ Those made of wood are undoubtedly the most ancient, ivory being of comparatively recent importation into Japan. Nevertheless, the netsukés made of ivory now command the highest price. The names of many of the great netsuké-makers are still famous, and much of their work is certainly artistic and beautiful to a degree. I am afraid that in the collecting of netsukés many European lovers of Japanese art have burnt their fingers. ”

“ There is a vague Japanese tradition that the first sculptor who made a specialty of netsuke-carving was one Ri-fū-ho of Kyōtō. He is said to have flourished from 1625 to 1670. "Ri-fū-ho" is not a family name or a personal name. It is one of the professional appellations which Japanese experts generally take. Nothing is known of the man or of his work. ”

“ The objects upon which the art of the Japanese sculptors has been exercised are many. Particularly in the carving of the masks used in the Nō dances, and the little ornaments called netsuke, the skill and artistic qualities displayed are often of the highest order. ”

“ Some of the great Japanese painters designed prints, others did not. Often it is difficult to distinguish by whom a print was designed, notwithstanding the signature, because artists sometimes gave their own name to their favourite pupil. For this reason and many others, beware of the print-dealer.
The highly developed artistic sense of the Japanese has found expression in various ways, but their deftness and delicacy of touch has led them especially to the production of small objects that delight the collector of curios. There is the netsuke in endless variety ”

“ In addition to beautiful specimens of sword-furniture, kanamono, etc., he carved netsuke in the round from shakudo or shibuichi. Kikuju-sai. Vide Masanobu (Nara) . Kikuoka. Family name. Vide Mitsuyuki. Kinai. Ishikawa. 1640. An expert of Ichizen who belonged originally to the Miyochin family. He was celebrated for chiselling iron guards with designs à jour, his favorite designs being dragons and phœnixes. His works are marked Yechizen no Kuni Kinai. He died in 1680. Kinai. ”

“ The old Japanese sculptors rarely attempted portraiture. A good example is offered by the seated figure of Ieyasti in the temple of Toshogu at Shiba. But in sculpture, even more than in pictorial art, the strength of the Japanese talent lies rather in decoration and in small things than in representation and in great things. The netsukes—originally a kind of toggle for the medicine-box or tobacco-pouch, carved out of wood or ivory—are often marvels of minuteness, and alive with a keen sense of humour and the grotesque. The Japanese weakness in sculpture is no mere accident. ”

“ He thought of it only as a horrible, cruel, devouring creature, rushing headway on at full speed to Netta's destruction. It was a senseless wild beast, to be combated at all hazards. It was a hideous, ruthless, relentless thing, to be checked in its mad career in no matter what fashion. All he knew, indeed, was that Netta, his Netta, lay helpless on the track, and that the engine, like some madman, puffing and snorting with wild glee and savage exultation, was hastening forward with fierce strides to crush and mangle her.
At any risk he must stop it—with anything—anyhow. ”

“ A violent quarrel took place between the brothers; they began to fight, and Mutscha was overcome; while Notscha once more rushed in pursuit of Li Dsing. At the height of his extremity, however, the holy Wen Dschu of the Hill of the Five Dragons, the master of Gintscha, Li Dsing's oldest son, stepped forth and hid Li Dsing in his cave. Notscha, in a rage, insisted that he be delivered up to him; but Wen Dschu said: "Elsewhere you may indulge your wild nature to your heart's content, but not in this place." ”

“ He couldn't bear to leave Netta thus alone in the field. She wouldn't allow him to see her home, to be sure, and that being so, he was too much a gentleman to force himself upon her. But he was too much a man, too, to let her find her way back so late entirely by herself. Unseen himself, he must still watch over her. Against her will, he must still protect her. He would go on to the railway, and there sit by the side of the line, under cover of the hedge, till Netta crossed by the other path. ”

“ This geisha is the one who made goo-goo eyes [J] at Red Shirt. What a simpleton, to be pleased by the slap of a geisha, this Clown. He said:
“Say, Su-chan, strike up the string. I’m going to dance the Kiino-kuni.” He seemed yet to dance.
On other side of the room, the old man of Confucius, twisting round his toothless mouth, had finished as far as “...... dear Dembei-san” and is asking a geisha who sat in front of him to couch him for the rest. Old people seem to need polishing up their memorizing system. One geisha is talking to the teacher of natural history:
“Here’s the latest. ”

“ But horror and love, and the awful idea that Netta's life was at stake, seemed to supply him at once with unwonted energy. He lifted it in his arms as he would have lifted a child, and straining in every limb stretched it at last full across both rails, a formidable obstacle before the approaching engine.
Hurrah! hurrah! he had succeeded now. It would throw the train off the line—and Netta would be saved for him.
To think and do all this under the spur of the circumstances took Ughtred something less than twenty seconds. In a great crisis men live rapidly. ”

“ The 13th, by day-break, Netcho, Fit-Auraris to Ras Michael, passed in great haste below the town towards Foggora. The king had made a forced march from Tedda, and was that night to encamp at a house of Gusho’s, near Lamguè. This was great expedition, and sufficiently marked the eagerness with which it was undertaken. The effects of the approach of the army were soon seen. Every one hid what was best in his house, or fled to the mountains with it. ”

“ Netta laughed. "As you know, he comes here two or three times a week and puts himself into such rages that, as he stamps up and down the room, I expect to hear a crash and to find that the dining-room ceiling has fallen down. He is a thoroughly kind-hearted man, but is a dreadful specimen of what an English gentleman may come to after he has had the command of an Indian regiment for some years, and been accustomed to have his will obeyed in everything. It is very bad for a man." ”

“ The Imperial Prince Midzuha wake represented to the Heir, saying:—"Is not the Great Man's [9] anxiety excessive? At present the Imperial Prince Nakatsu's unprincipled conduct is detested by the officials and the people alike. His own household, moreover, are against him, and think him a brigand. He stands alone, and there is nobody whom he can consult. I knew of his rebellion, but I had not received the commands of the Heir, and was therefore merely indignant at it. Now that I have received an order, why should I make any difficulty about killing the Imperial Prince Nakatsu? ”

“ So Notscha told his father Li Dsing: “This devil-ape is altogether too powerful! I cannot get the better of him!” There was nothing left to do but to return to the Heavens and admit their overthrow. The Lord of the Heavens bowed his head, and tried to think of some other hero whom he might send out.
Then the Evening Star once more came forward and said: “This ape is so strong and so courageous, that probably not one of us here is a match for him. He revolted because the office of stablemaster appeared too lowly for him. ”

“ When so much depends upon his thinking that he is absolutely safe, one must use what weapons one can. If you have any scruples about it, I will write the letter for you."
"No, I do not think the scruples will trouble me," Netta laughed. "Of course, I have had to tell stories, [Pg 243] and one more or less will not weigh on my mind. Here is the letter. If you can think of any better reason for running away so suddenly, by all means let me have it."
The letter was written in a sprawling hand, and with many of the words misspelt. It began:
"Dear Mrs. ”

“ They are sent even with insults and defiances; but it is constantly understood that their errand protects them from suffering any harm, whether on the road, or when in words they perform these foolish, useless commissions.
Adigo and Netcho were above observing this punctilio with robbers. Some were for cutting the servant’s ears off, and some for carrying him bound to Ras Michael; I begged they would let him go: and Netcho sent word by him to Guebra Mehedin to get the goods and mules he had robbed us of together, for he was coming over to share them with him. ”

“ According to his idea, running after a geisha is a mental consolation but tempura or dango is a material pleasure, I guess. If that’s mental consolation, why doesn’t the fool do it above board? You ought to see the jacknape skipping out of the room when the geisha came into it the other night,—I don’t like his trying to deceive us, but if one were to point it out for him, he would deny it or say it was the Russian literature or that the haiku is a half-brother of the new poetry, and expect to hush it up by twaddling soft nonsense. A weak-knee like him is not a man. ”

“ Who would ever have believed that Netta, his Netta, would have thrown him over like that for such a ridiculous trifle? Who, indeed? and least of all Netta herself, sitting alone on the stile with her pretty face bowed deep in her hands, and her poor heart wondering how Ughtred, her Ughtred, could so easily desert her. In such strange ways is the feminine variety of the human heart constructed. ”

“ Who would go to see a fellow so void of the sense of common decency! I gave this priest from this time the nickname of Porcupine.
The Confucian teacher was strict in his manner as becoming to his profession. “Arrived yesterday? You must be tired. Start teaching already? Working hard, indeed!”—and so on. He was an old man, quite sociable and talkative.
The teacher of drawing was altogether like a cheap actor. He wore a thin, flappy haori of sukiya, and, toying with a fan, he giggled; “Where from? eh? Tokyo? Glad to hear that. You make another of our group. I’m a Tokyo kid myself.” ”

“ When Baptiste had finished this speech, the oldest warrior of Ethelston’s party arose and said: “Is it not true that War–Eagle, when he went, appointed Netis leader in his place?” (A murmur of assent came from the lips of Attō and his party.) “Is it not true,” continued the Indian, “that Netis is a brave and skilful warrior?—one who need not be silent when the braves strike the war–post? His heart is true to the Lenapé, and he will tell them no lies. If the white men are content with Netis, the Lenapé wish no other leader. ”

“ Netta laughed. "Not exactly," said she; "it was compassion for him that moved me. I can't help pitying him when he looks so home-sick, and I thought your society would brighten him up and do him good."
"Ah, Netta!" said her sister, "he has excited your sympathy, I see. A few days more, and I shouldn't be surprised if you went beyond me in your admiration of him. If so, take care, you transparent creature, not to betray your inconsistency." Then she said to Gertrude, "Netta met Mr. Phillips only yesterday and has not seemed very favourably impressed. ”