Kappa Leading Blind Man
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Ivory with bronze disk inlaid with gold
Dimensions
Diam. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm); Th. 1/2 in. (1.3 cm)
Classification
Netsuke
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo (1615–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881
Accession Number
81.1.51
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite netsuke, titled *Kappa Leading Blind Man is a masterful example of 19th-century Japanese ivory carving from the Edo (16151868) or earlyiji (1868–1912) period. Crafted by an unknown artist, it measures just 1 5/8 inches in and 1/2 inch thick, showcasing the intricate miniaturization typical of netsuke—small toggles worn on kimono sashes to secure inro pouches. The medium of ivory, prized for its smooth translucency, is enhanced by a bronze disk inlaid with gold, likely representing the kappa's signature head dish, a vessel of water essential to the creature's mythical power. The...