Adornment in Clay: Netsuke from the Richard R. Silverman Collection

Renowned netsuke (NET-skeh) collector Richard R. Silverman's gift to the Toledo Museum of Art of 226 ceramic netsuke constitutes perhaps the largest public collection of these miniature clay sculptures in the world . Clay was originally considered a novel medium for netsuke, which were traditionally carved from wood, ivory, bone, antler, or horn. By the mid-19th century, as demand for netsuke increased, production of ceramic netsuke flourished. Adornment in Clay provides new scholarship and an in-depth examination of this subgenre in the context of both Japanese ceramic production and the wider field of netsuke production. Laura J. Mueller is an independent scholar and curator of Japanese art. Carolyn M. Putney is curator of Asian art at the Toledo Museum of Art.

By Laura J. Mueller. Foreword by Carolyn M. Putney. Contributions by Richard R. Silverman and Neil K. Davey. 2010.

Paperback, 84 pages, 8 1/2" x 8 1/2", color images throughout; A History of Ceramic Netsuke, Selected Highlights, Map of Kiln Locations, Illustrated Checklist of 226 Netsuke plus Seals and Signatures, Glossary, Selected Bibliography, Index.