Edo Period Boxwood Netsuke: Man and Young Boy, c1840
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An Edo period boxwood netsuke of a man and young boy, c1840, well carved with a worn patina and faint paint traces, height 4 cm
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- Boxwood - Boxwood is a hard, yellow coloured, close grained timber. In the 19th century it was often used for inlays, especially stringing, because of its contrasting colour to the darker timbers of the carcase. Stringing is the inlay of a narrow strip of veneer of a lighter colour, such as boxwood along or close to the edges of an object that has been veneered in a darker timber such as mahogany.
Because of its fine grain and resistnce to splitting or chipping it has also been used for treen, turnings, carvings and other small wooden items, such as chess pieces. - Patination / Patina - In broad terms, patination refers to the exterior surface appearance of the timber, the effect of fading caused by exposure to sunlight and air over the course of a century or more, changing the piece to a soft, mellow colour.
As patina is very difficult to replicate, it is one of the most important guides to determining the age of furniture.
Patina is also the term applied to the bloom or film found on old bronzes due to oxidisation. - Edo Period, Japan - The Edo period in Japan lasted from 1603 to 1868. During this time, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate, a military government led by the Tokugawa family. The Edo period is characterized by a period of relative peace, stability, and economic growth, as well as by the development of a distinctive culture and society.
During the Edo period, the capital of Japan was moved from Kyoto to Edo (modern-day Tokyo), and the country became increasingly isolated from the rest of the world. The shogunate implemented strict policies to maintain control, including the restriction of foreign trade and travel. However, despite this isolation, the Edo period saw significant cultural and artistic development, including the emergence of the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition, the growth of Kabuki theater, and the flourishing of a vibrant merchant culture.
The Edo period ended with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which saw the collapse of the shogunate and the restoration of imperial rule.
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