Tenaga en Ashinaga

Netsuke voorstellend een 'lang arm', Tenaga, op de schouders van een pijnlijk kijkende 'lang-been', Ashinaga, die bij het vissen door een octopus is gegrepen. De Tenaga probeert intussen het been van zijn kameraad van dit dier te bevrijden. Gessho: Ashinaga and Tenaga Most netsuke are rather compact carvings, and for obvious reasons: protruding parts may easily break off when worn from the sash. It is therefore quite likely that the man who first bought this woodcarving would have asked the netsuke-maker, Gessho, whether he imagined it could actually be used. Indeed, the long span of the arm of the man bending over to retrieve the octopus from the other's leg, seems extremely risky. It really requires nerve, even with a well-experienced craftsman, to carve such a length of openwork in an object for daily use. Yet, in view of the natural wear, especially seen on the faces of the two men, it must have been worn for many years. But then, it is not simply daring for the sake of it, the span of the arm also underlines the essence of the image. It is the story of long-arm sitting on the back of long-leg going out fishing. And when the octopus takes hold of long-leg's leg, long-arm helps his mate who would be unable to reach so low. This description was given for the ASEMUS virtual master pieces project.