A boxwood netsuke depicting a kneeling mother with her hands immersed in a washtub, accompanied by her child. The details are finely carved even on the underside, where the folds of the garments, the feet, and the himotoshi are clearly visible. Netsuke, composed of the kanji ne (根), meaning "root," and tsuke (付け), meaning "to attach," are small Japanese sculptures originally used as fasteners to secure objects to the sashes of kimono (obi 帯). From the late 19th century they became highly collectible in Europe and America, admired for the variety of subjects, the fine details, the patina and their strong tactile appeal. ---The netsuke is in good condition, with slight signs of wear. Please refer to the pictures for further details. The item will be carefully packed and shipped via DHL or FedEx, accompanied by the original certificate of authenticity issued by Mastromauro Japanese art gallery based in Milan, Italy. 234