SNOWY SNAIL

In ancient times, snails were considered the most fertile of all animals and gods of water and might be asked to send rains. Once my children asked where the snail hibernates and what does it do in winter? I had to come up with a little fairy tale that a snail hibernates in its house and when it gets sad or cold, it asks for snow to fall in large flakes and slowly fall at night, and during the day for the snow to sparkle with all colors! Winter is a very beautiful season! Inspired by my fairy tale, I created a Snow Snail. I used an empty shell, Japanese Urushi and mother-of-pearl. I carved a peony petal from a piece of fossil mammoth tusk and added some blue Urushi. It turned out a wonderful netsuke - the snail froze in anticipation of a snowfall on a peony petal, and its shell sparkles with all colors like snow in the sun. A peony petal is a table stand for netsuke - in Japan, some varieties of peonies bloom in winter and caring Japanese steal them from the snow with straw huts. The cord is woven from different blue threads, winter palette. Snail height - 3 cm, length 4 cm. Published in the International Netsuke Society Journal, volume 42, number 2. 2022. Portugal, private collection.