Inro and Netsuke from the Condell Collection, by Adam Krall

This seal holder and toggle, Inro and Netsuke respectively, exemplify Japanese consumer fashion during the Edo Period. This inro, a tiered, lacquered container for holding small items (such as seals, stamps, medicine, or makeup), is crafted from wood and lacquer on the interior and was decorated with patterns and motifs depending upon the artist’s imagination or buyer’s commission.[1] This inro-netsuke is from the Condell Family Collection of Oriental Art, which is in the custody of the Illinois State Museum. This particular netsuke is of carved deer bone; there are also green silk cords and a blue ojime through which they pass to keep them taut.[2] The carving on the netsuke represents the legendary battle between Watanabe no Tsuna, a mythical warrior, and the Oni of Rashomon, a mythological demon.[3] The inro is made from wood and has Fukurokuju and a disciple carved onto it on one side, and on the “reverse side, the seven Gods of Good Fortune.”[4] Fukurokuju is one of the seven Gods of Good Fortune, representing happiness, wealth, and longevity.[5] Perhaps the former owner wished for good luck in business or being able to surmount a giant obstacle in their life, hence the monumental struggle depicted on the carved netsuke when the consumer purchased or commissioned the piece. When suspended from the wearer's sash, the netsuke is a counterweight to retain the inro in place.[6] The ensemble embodies Edo-era Japan's art, design, and functionality integration. However, let's look at the inro and netsuke as an “everyday carry item” like a wallet or purse. We can demystify the inro-netsuke collection, and unbracket the material item from its status as “Oriental Art,” thus appreciating the inro-netsuke for its functionality rather than its Western definition based upon Orientalism.

Footnotes

[1] H. Batterson Boger, The Traditional Arts of Japan: A Complete Illustrated Guide London: W.H. Allen, 1964, 265-273.

[2] “Condell Family Collection,” May 4, 2023, folder attached to Condell Family Collection,701133. Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL.

[3] Neil K. Davey, Netsuke: A Comprehensive Study Based on the M.T. Hindson Collection New York, NY: Sotheby Parke Bernet, 1974, 373.

[4] Condell Family Collection, May 4, 2023. 701133

[5] The Encyclopedia Britannica, "Fukurokuju." Encyclopedia Britannica, February 15, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fukurokuju.

[6] Boger, The Traditional Arts of Japan, 271.