Netsuke in wood of a man standing. At one side he carries a sword, at the other side there stands a little boy. The man wears a broad cap. ••According to the donor's catalog: "Netsuke in wood of a man standing. At one side he carries a sword, at the other side there stands a little boy. The man wears a broadcap. Manamoto no Mitsunaka (AD 912-997). A noble who held high office being a garrison general and a skilled archer. His parental attitude was one of great severity even for the merciless times in which he lived. Being dissatisfied with the slow progress of one of his sons at the monastery of Hieizan, he was on the point of killing him, but stayed his hand merely to order his retainer Nakamitsu to give the beheading blow. Then came the savior in the person of the retainer's son who begged his father to kill him in the place of the young lord—which the distressed father did, allowing the young lord to escape to the Hieizan to tell of the loyalty of Nakamitsu and so win the admiration of the abbot that he busied himself to get Mitsunaka reconciled to his ignorant time-wasting son because of the loyalty of a retainer.
Donor:
Estate of Geraldine C. and Kernan Robson
Collection place:
Japan
Culture or time period:
Japanese
Collector:
Geraldine C. Robson
Collection date:
before 1940
Materials:
Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Netsukes
Function:
2.2 Personal Adornments and Accoutrements
Accession date:
1968
Context of use:
Toggle to be attached to the end of a cord and thrust through the sash of a kimono for the support of a purse, pouch or lacquer box.
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Dimensions:
height 3.8 centimeters
Comment:
Minamoto no Mitsunaka (912-997 AD) was a noble who held high office. Being a garrison general and a skillful archer. His parental attitude was one of great serenity even in the merciless times in which he tried dissatisfied with the slow [illegible] of one of his sons at the monastery of Hinsang, He made the point of killing him that stayed his hand merely to order returner Nakamiyau to give the beheading later. Then came [illegible] in the person of the returning son who begged his father to kill him in the place of the young lord, which the distressed father did, allowing the young lord to escape to the Hieizan to tell of the loyalty of Nakamitsu.