Recumbent Ox 1771 - 1835

This small sculpture of a reclining ox was made by Kiyozumi in Japan, using ivory. Oxen have been used in agriculture for millennia and are closely associated with stability, hard work and wealth. This netsuke, or toggle, would have been used to secure a small container worn on the kimono sash. As traditional Japanese clothing lacked pockets, such accessories were essential for carrying personal items. These containers and toggles became status symbols, and reflected the wealth and social standing of their owners. The imagery used in netsuke often features mythical creatures, animals from the zodiac or scenes from daily life. To understand the function of this object, researchers might study fashion history, museum collections and archival records. The social history of art reminds us that artworks are always entangled with the everyday lives of people, and the institutions and economic structures that give shape to those lives.