Oniwakamaru, 19th century
MediumIvory
About the work The warrior monk Benkei is depicted as a child. He was born with teeth and therefore called Oniwakamaru (Devil Boy). Here, he is trying to kill a giant carp that has devoured his mother. The design of the netsuke reflects the fascination with dramatic stories within Japanese storytelling culture. From the seventeenth century onwards, the figures served as counterweights to fasten pouches to the kimono belt. Since the opening of Japan in the 1860s, they have been collected as artworks in Europe.
AccessionGift of Bruno Werdelmann 2004
Provenance[...];Sammlung Brockhaus; [...]; bis 25.10.2004 Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. Bruno Werdelmann (1920 – 2010), Ratingen; 25.10.2004 erworben durch Schenkung von Bruno Werdelmann
Inventory numberP 2005-252
