Unknown
Foreign Drummer18th century

Not on view

Wood carving of a standing caricatured figure with an open-mouthed grimace, wide-brimmed hat, layered collar, shaggy skirt, and prominent round kneecaps, in warm chestnut and amber tones

Artist or Maker: Unknown
Title: Foreign Drummer
Place Made: Japan
Date Made: 18th century
Period: Edo period (1603-1868)
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: 4 3/4 x 1 5/16 x 1 1/8 in. (12.0 x 3.3 x 2.8 cm)
Credit Line: Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection
Accession Number: M.90.186.1
Classification: Costumes
Collecting Area: Japanese Art
Curatorial Notes: Among the favorite subjects rendered in netsuke were portrayals of foreigners, particularly traders and workers who were part of the Dutch enterprise located on Deshima Island in Nagasaki Bay. Japanese artists and artisans living in or around Nagasaki would have had opportunities to observe these strange foreigners, but those living elsewhere would likely have relied on print sources, other imagery, or even verbal or written descriptions to render such subjects. It was common for artisans to meld elements from various unknown cultures into a single work. Imagination and a certain degree of artistic license also factored into a practice that often resulted in very fanciful portrayals, such as this figurine of a tall islander that combines real and imaginary beings. The elongated legs and short arms liken this drummer to Ashinaga (Long Legs), a folkloric figure from the “Long-Legged Country.” Drums are associated with people from Oceanic cultures. He wears a grass fishing skirt and a long-sleeved garment with ruffles at the wrists. This shirt, the wide ruffled collar, and the brimmed hat are standard attributes in Dutchmen netsuke.

2024
Selected Bibliography: Joly, Henri L., ed. Catalogue of the H. Seymour Trower Collection of Japanese Art. Reprint. Hollywood, Florida: Kurstin-Schneider, 1975.
Goodall, Hollis, Virginia G. Atchley, Neil K. Davey, Christine Drosse, Sebastian Izzard, Odile Madden, and Robert T. Singer. The Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection of Netsuke: A Legacy at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Chicago: Art Media Resources, Inc.; Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2003.
Catalog of an Exhibition of Netsuke from the Collection of Raymond Bushell. London: Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd., 1984.

Unknown
Foreign Drummer18th century

Not on view

Artist or Maker: Unknown
Title: Foreign Drummer
Place Made: Japan
Date Made: 18th century
Period: Edo period (1603-1868)
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: 4 3/4 x 1 5/16 x 1 1/8 in. (12.0 x 3.3 x 2.8 cm)
Credit Line: Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection
Accession Number: M.90.186.1
Classification: Costumes
Collecting Area: Japanese Art
Curatorial Notes: Among the favorite subjects rendered in netsuke were portrayals of foreigners, particularly traders and workers who were part of the Dutch enterprise located on Deshima Island in Nagasaki Bay. Japanese artists and artisans living in or around Nagasaki would have had opportunities to observe these strange foreigners, but those living elsewhere would likely have relied on print sources, other imagery, or even verbal or written descriptions to render such subjects. It was common for artisans to meld elements from various unknown cultures into a single work. Imagination and a certain degree of artistic license also factored into a practice that often resulted in very fanciful portrayals, such as this figurine of a tall islander that combines real and imaginary beings. The elongated legs and short arms liken this drummer to Ashinaga (Long Legs), a folkloric figure from the “Long-Legged Country.” Drums are associated with people from Oceanic cultures. He wears a grass fishing skirt and a long-sleeved garment with ruffles at the wrists. This shirt, the wide ruffled collar, and the brimmed hat are standard attributes in Dutchmen netsuke.

2024
Selected Bibliography: Joly, Henri L., ed. Catalogue of the H. Seymour Trower Collection of Japanese Art. Reprint. Hollywood, Florida: Kurstin-Schneider, 1975.
Goodall, Hollis, Virginia G. Atchley, Neil K. Davey, Christine Drosse, Sebastian Izzard, Odile Madden, and Robert T. Singer. The Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection of Netsuke: A Legacy at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Chicago: Art Media Resources, Inc.; Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2003.
Catalog of an Exhibition of Netsuke from the Collection of Raymond Bushell. London: Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd., 1984.