A LARGE WOOD NETSUKE DEPICTING THE STORY OF SHIBA ONKOUnsignedJapan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)A large and remarkably earthy wood netsuke depicting the famous story of Shiba Onko. The composition is set on a large, shaped base and is carved with a large jar in the center from which a stream of water, inlaid with silver dew drops. flows outwards, a small boy emerging from the cracked pot amongst the water. Shiba Onko and his companions are carved around the jar, watching the events unfold, two of the heads are inlaid in stained bone with dark horn tufts of hair and all eyes are inlaid in dark horn as well. Large, asymmetrical himotoshi through the underside. The wood bearing a superb, dark patina.HEIGHT 3.6 cm, LENGTH 5.4 cmCondition: Excellent condition with minor wear and a superb patina.The manner of inlay on the present netsuke is reminiscent of Kanjuro, who is mentioned in the Soken Kisho of 1781.Shiba Onko (Chian/Sima Qian in Chinese) was a famous statesman and historian of the Han Dynasty. This is an episode linked to his childhood, when it was said that Shiba Onko and his companions were watching fish in a huge jar when one of them fell in but whilst the rest of his playmates ran away shrieking, leaving the child to drown, Shiba Onko used a rock to break the jar to drain out the water and set his companion free. This episode was a popular theme among Edo-period artists as a parable of virtuous behavior.