Stag antler netsuke representing a mongol archer

 

18 Th. century

6.6 cm

 

Stag antler netsuke representing the massive figure of a standing Mongolian archer, wearing a full armor under a long-sleeved robe. The archer is shown with his arms stretched along the body while holding a bow in the left hand and an arrow in the right one. 

The figure is probably a dattanjin, a stranger inhabitant of Dattan and Orankai, the Chinese area where Mongolian and Tartars used to live. Though it was a so common subject, the similitude with the real looks of dattanjin might be questionable.