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This netsuke is a witty rendition of a Japanese allegory on truth and interpretation. A group of six blind men endeavor to describe an elephant, however their attempts are thwarted as none of them are able to describe the entire animal.
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Title: Blind Men and the Elephant
Period: Meiji period (1868–1912)
Date: 19th century
Culture: Japan
Medium: Ivory
Dimensions: H. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm); W. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm)
Classification: Netsuke
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1910
Accession Number: 10.211.900
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