Artwork preview

Netsuke of Mouse in a Basket of Mushrooms

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A carved wooden netsuke of a mouse sitting in a basket made to look like wicker. The basket is rectangular with rounded corners and sides that curve up. It has a flat bottom and the inside is hollowed out. The outside has lines carved into it to resemble the weave of a basket. The mouse is sitting on top of a pile of mushrooms. It has large ears and a long tail that wraps around the edge of the basket. Its eyes and whiskers are carved. The mouse's front paws are resting on a mushroom. The wood is dark brown with some lighter areas where it has been polished. The background is plain and light-colored.

Artwork Details

Date
19th century
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
600 × 400 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette