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Collections

To (or Tan)
Tanuki Playing a Samisenearly 20th century

Not on view
Small polished sculpture of a seated monkey holding a shamisen, in warm chestnut brown with dark patinated recesses and ivory-colored string pegs
Carved netsuke of a seated monkey dressed in robes, holding a small object raised to its face, with finely incised fur detail, warm brown patina with red accents, and small yellow inlaid eyes; a Japanese character is visible on a block held in the front paws.

To (or Tan), Tō, To, Tanuki Playing a Samisen, early 20th century, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA

Artist or Maker
To (or Tan)
Japan
Artist or Maker
Tō
Japan, active late 19th-early 20th century
Artist or Maker
To
Japan
Title
Tanuki Playing a Samisen
Place Made
Japan
Date Made
early 20th century
Medium
Wood with inlays, traces of red and black lacquer
Dimensions
2 × 1 5/8 × 1 3/8 in. (5.08 × 4.13 × 3.49 cm)
Credit Line
Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection
Accession Number
M.91.250.121
Classification
Costumes
Collecting Area
Japanese Art
Selected Bibliography
  • Bushell, Raymond. An Exhibition of Netsuke from the Raymond Bushell Collection. Tokyo: Mikimoto World Jewelers, 1979.
  • Bushell, Raymond. Netsuke: Japanese Scultpure in Minature from the Collection of Raymond and Frances Bushell, Part II. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1985.
  • 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.