Japanese Ivory Netsuke of a Dutchman Wearing a Broad Rimmed Hat

A Japanese Ivory Netsuke of a Dutchman Wearing a Broad Rimmed Hat Holding a ‘Gunbai’ War Fan his Coat Worn Over Baggy Trousers his Long Hair Curling at his Neck
Smooth silky creamy patina
Unsigned
18th Century

Size: 4cm high - 1½ ins high

Provenance:
Ex Private collection formed in the 1960’s
Ex Private collection

CITES permit: 2025/BE01023/CE


The Dutch and Portuguese were called by the Japanese ‘Nambanjin’ a term meaning ‘Southern Barbarian’, and during the 17th and 18th centuries the merchants were only permitted to trade at Nagasaki with contact with the rest of Japan forbidden. Consequently many netsuke carvers had never set eyes on a live ‘nambanjin’, and so likenesses were taken from the Nagasaki wood block prints and paintings depicting the Dutch and other foreigners.