Night Moth

Night Moth Netsuke
Night Moth Netsuke
Night Moth Netsuke
Night Moth Netsuke
Night Moth Netsuke

Properties:

2011

Type: Netsuke

Sold. Russia, private collection.

Materials: Wild boar (Sus scrofa) tusk. Amber, mother-of-pearl and jet inlay.

Dimensions: 50×27×16 mm.

Weight: 13.9 g.

Images:            

The night moth has softly fluttered away
From my finger into the dark
Like a magic flower
Torn by a careless wind…

Night moths are incredible creatures. Watching these big hairy things, resembling both birds and flowers, at a close distance gives you that amazing shivering sensation, and this is no wonder for the most part of their lives is concealed from human eyes by the dark cape of night. Japanese tradition gives butterfly a well-wishing interpretation.

Iwami style netsuke is carved from a wild boar's tusk and stained with a madder root (Rubia tinctorum). This is the second of five tusks that arrived to me from Thailand. The first one was used to carve the Taro Leaf Netsuke. From the rest of the three I intend to carve a fish, a bird and an animal.

The eyes of the moth are inlaid with a black oyster's shell. The «eye spots» on the wings of the moth (seven on each side) are delicately encrusted with New Zealand Paua shell and jet.

Signed on the inner side of the wing.