netsuke (toad), unknown maker from Japan

Archive Label 2003: The toad, probably because of its grotesque appearance, was a popular creature in Japan used to invoke human fancy. This small wood netsuke depicts a toad sitting squarely on its haunches. Not many people would be tempted to touch a real toad, but this netsuke fits comfortably in a human palm and allows its owner to enjoy its smooth texture, yet with an interesting resistance of bumps to the stroking thumb. As tiny as it is, the netsuke shows the toad’s unflinching, glaring eyes, inlaid with glass, and his inscrutable dignity.