Wood netsuke with an oni hiding under a hat

Oni under a big hat

19th century

Signed: Shogyoku

Height: 2.4 cm

Oni are devious creatures with an ugly appearance. It is said that throw peas to oni make them blind.

This netsuke represents an oni hiding under a huge hat from a shower of a thrown peas. 

 Still today on the 4th February, during the exorcism ritual of Setsubun, peas are thrown inside and outside the house to expel evil demons that may be lurking around a residence.

This netsuke belonged to the “Smith Collection” of the Framingham History Center Museum. William H. Smith (1853 1923) was a prolific collector during the turn of the 20th century; He was drawn to the aesthetics of objects spanning three popular fields at the times: the natural world, the colonial revival and above all the arts of Japan including a netsuke collection.

Smith had no children and, before his death in 1923 he bequeathed his personal collection to the Town of Framingham, to be in custody and care of the Trustees of the Town Library. In the 1966 the collection was transferred to the Framingham Historical Society.

Netsuke for sale. Price on application. Please include item stock number: net-1414