Storytime
Guerrilla book arts: found in the museum store, made by a patron with an appreciation for a good story.
While I might grumble about how taking care of the books is like minding toddlers (put your toys back where they belong according to the Library of Congress classification!), the job is not without its merits. The above scene was left for me this week, and the art of it was not lost on me.
Literature is rich with animal stories, and this charming tableau reminded me of a long-out-of-print children’s book, The Mouse King, by Yeshe Tsultim. Read the story here.
10 Responses to “Storytime”
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xensen on August 14th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Glad you had the presence of mind to take a picture. What book are the mice absorbed in?
nico on August 14th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
The mice are leafing through Tibet: Reflections From the Wheel of Life. They were respectful and did not nibble the pages.
xensen on August 14th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
They are very advanced mice. Most mice of my acquaintance would prefer the Wheel of Cheese.
namastenancy on August 14th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
One would expect that mice in the museum would be advanced beyond the ordinary run of mice. Obviously the museum mice will be reborn on a higher rung of the wheel than xensen’s mice.
xensen on August 14th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Mice and fruit (detail), 1500-1644. China, handscroll, ink and colors on silk. The Yeh Family Collection, 2008.65. The painting bears the signature of Qian Xuan (1279-1368) but is likely a later copy.
xensen on August 14th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
They’re everywhere, they’re everywhere!
Two Mice, 1800-1900. Japan, netsuke, wood. The Avery Brundage Collection, B70Y142.
nico on August 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
oh, you guys…
next I’m going to have to do a poll on favorite critter tales of Asia.
xensen on August 14th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Well, I’ve installed a polling function . . .
namastenancy on August 14th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
How do you chose among such delightful images? The tiny mice are exquisite but I seem to remember some lovely swans in the netsuke case that I coveted. So much beauty1
Fred Ross on May 31st, 2010 at 9:26 am
Two Mice, 1800-1900. Japan, netsuke, wood. The Avery Brundage Collection, B70Y142: Excellent photo, I have 3 different carving of the two mice, one in ivory, one in wood, and one in amber. What is the significance of the two mice? Do they relate to a story? All three of my carving may be worn on a thong, and two were specifically drilled to be hung from a string, thong, or chain.