M0004073: Wooden Netsuke skull (upper part) with skin attached in places, Japan / M0004074: Upper part of Netsuke skull fashioned from a nut, Japan / M0004075: Upper part of a roughly fashioned Netsuke skull, Japan / M0004076: Wood Netsuke skeleton crawling over a skull, Japan

Previous title, replaced May 2020: Upper part of wood Skull with skin attached in places.

Previous title, replaced May 2020: Skull with upper part fashioned form nut.

Previous title, replaced May 2020: Skull, upper part roughly fashioned, signed Kogan.

Previous title, replaced May 2020: Wood skeleton crawling over skull.

Four images on one negative: four Netsuke. Netsuke are ornaments worn with a Kimono. The Netsuke is a tied silk bag hidden behind the sash for belongings. They were especially popular during the Tokugawa period (1603–1868) and are seen by many as fine works of miniature art. These four are from Doctor Hermann Gunther's collection of Netsuke. The first is made from wood in the shape of a skull with three pine leaves resting on top, a symbol of decay. The second is made from a nut. The third is shaped like a human skull and signed "Koyan". The fourth is shaped like a human skull

24 October 1934

4 photographs on 1 plate glass plate negative; 21.5 x 16.5 cm

Catalogue data comes from a combination of entries in the original glass plate registers, metadata created when the glass plates were digitised in the early 2000s and enhancements made by the cataloguer in 2021.

This item is fragile. Email library@wellcomecollection.org to request access to the physical item.