Snake and Goat

This Manjū netsuke is crafted from mammoth tusk using the rare Shishiaibori technique—a deep, recessed relief where the composition is masterfully sunken into the material. The sculpture embodies the harmonious union of two symbols from the Eastern Zodiac (Jūnishi):
​The Snake (Luigi’s birth year) — a symbol of wisdom, protection, and longevity.
​The Goat (his wife’s birth year) — the personification of tenderness, devotion, and domestic warmth.
​On the front of the netsuke, these two animals are depicted in unity, carved with remarkable detail, their eyes inlaid with amber.
​The reverse side bears a deeply personal Waka—a traditional Japanese poem that serves as a profound dedication:
​“The longer I look at you, the more I love you.”
​This netsuke is a message of gentle, lasting love, captured eternally in time.
​In loving memory of Luigi.
​Technique: Manjū Netsuke, Shishiaibori subtype (deep recessed relief), Urushi, staining.
Materials: Mammoth Tusk, amber inlay.
Size: Diameter 6.6 cm, thickness 2 cm.

March 2015. Switzerland, LUB collection.