A RARE WOOD NETSUKE DEPICTING A KARAKO BOY DURING SHICHI-GO-SAN

A RARE WOOD NETSUKE DEPICTING A KARAKO BOY DURING SHICHI-GO-SAN
Unsigned
Japan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Finely carved, the cheerful boy holding the sides of his hifu (sleeveless jacket) in a jubilant posture. The young boy turning his head to the right, his face bearing an expression of confident gravitas. The hifu carved with stylistic designs. Good, functional himotoshi to the back. The wood covered in a fine, lustrous patina.
HEIGHT 5.9 cm
Condition: Good condition with minor expected wear, the edges of the feet with old, smoothened chips.
Shichi-Go-San
(七五三) is a traditional Japanese rite of passage and festival day for three- and seven-year-old girls and five-year-old boys (literally translating 'three, five, seven'). On this day, the children dress in traditional hifu garments and undergo three ceremonies. The tradition dates back to the Heian period as a means of celebrating a child's survival during a time when child mortality rates were extremely high.