Artwork preview

Netsuke of Monkey on a Mushroom

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Small ivory sculpture of a monkey resting on a mushroom. The monkey is carved with its hands on the cap and its lower body on the stem. The cap is rounded with lines carved to resemble gills on the underside. The sculpture rests on a grey surface. A shadow falls to the left. The monkey has a large head with a flat face and long arms. Its eyes and mouth are carved. The monkey's body fades into the stem which tapers to a rounded point.

Artwork details

Date:
18th century
Medium:
Ivory
Culture:
Japan
Dimensions:
600 × 400 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette