Haru-ko

This sculpture is the embodiment of the Japanese word “Haru” (春), meaning spring, and the endearing suffix “ko” (子), together creating the image of the delicate “Spring Child.”
​The girl, carved from walrus tusk, sits within a basket, symbolizing protection and a cradle. The entire work is infused with symbols of renewal:
The hair and makeup are rendered using the unique Japanese lacquer “Rose Urushi“—a mixture of transparent brown and opaque black lacquers. This composition is perfectly used to capture the deep, natural color of her hair. Her kimono’s ornament features sakura flowers, symbolizing purity and fleeting beauty. This pattern, like the details of the basket, is applied using a burning needle and tinted with walnut ink. Three petals, carved from pink coral, symbolize a gentle touch of nature and the fragility of the first spring.
​”Haru-ko” is a netsuke that serves as a talisman to attract joy, warmth, and renewal, a reminder of the hope that arrives with every spring.
​Height 4.8 cm. Carved from walrus tusk, utilizing Rose Urushi lacquer, walnut ink, a burning needle, and pink coral.
2008. Australia, private collection.