Netsuke with design of a laughing peasant holding a giant mushroom. Late 18th century.

Netsuke with a design of a laughing peasant carrying a basket and holding a giant mushroom in his right hand.

18th century

Dimensions: 55.7 mm tall

Unsigned. According to Merrily Baird (Symbols of Japan, page. 93): ... This prominent use in the symbol-rich netsuke art form, however, reflects more their sexual symbolism than either their dietary appeal or interesting shapes. Mushrooms in Japan are generally a symbol of fertility, with some flat varieties, like shiitake, being associated with females. In contrast, the matsutake mushroom (Armillaria edodes) is a phallic symbol, as befits its thick, spearlike stem and the fact that it is consumed before cap opens.