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Japanese Carved Okimono Figure of a Woman with a Crab
Japanese Carved Okimono Figure of a Woman with a Crab
Japanese Carved Okimono Figure of a Woman with a Crab
Japanese Carved Okimono Figure of a Woman with a Crab

Japanese Carved Okimono Figure of a Woman with a Crab

Maker
DateMeiji Period, 1868 - 1912
Object NameOkimono Figure
Mediumivory
ClassificationsApplied Art
DimensionsOverall (Height x Width x Depth): 65 × 70 × 35mm
AcquisitionBequeathed in 1928 by Miss Ann Reid.
CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS011217
About MeThis carved ivory figure, by Japanese artist Kazan, depicts a kneeling woman beside a basket, who appears to be screaming as she is pinched by a crab.

Okimono are small sculptures as equally charming as netsuke, albeit a little larger.
They often depict the same subjects as netsuke, but people, especially working are more common, sometimes seen in striking poses with strongly expressed emotions. They were made to stand inside a tokonoma, a traditional alcove found in the main room of a Japanese home, reserved for displaying wall scrolls and decorative art.

Okimono were very much sought after and usually made by the same makers and artists who produced netsuke. As netsuke became obsolete during the late 19th century, when many Japanese adopted Western dress, these artists concentrated their skills on creating okimono. This made the Meiji period (1868 - 1912) the most prolific in okimono production with many being exported to the West.
More About Me
Okimonos often stood in the alcove (tokonoma) of the main room of a Japanese house. Here a woman screams after being pinched by a crab.

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