Okimono of a Courtesan and an Oni

This small-scale sculpture, carved from a single piece of ivory, depicts a female figure dressed in a patterned kimono and a broad-brimmed flat hat. She holds a gnarled staff in her left hand, while a diminutive, grimacing oni—characterized by its muscular, hunched posture, bulging eyes, and horn-like protrusions—squats at her side, clutching the fabric of her garment. The figures are rendered with delicate surface etchings, with the kimono featuring distinct circular geometric motifs.

This piece exemplifies the Japanese tradition of okimono (literally 'object for display'), which gained prominence during the Meiji period as decorative art for domestic settings. It reflects the popular folk syncretism of the Edo and Meiji periods, where human figures are frequently juxtaposed with Yōkai, blurring the lines between the mundane and the supernatural.