maneki neko takes over the world

...in which our plucky heroine indulges in a minor obsession

While not in any way a "collector", girl has long held a minor passion for maneki neko; there are more than one of these beckoning cat images to be found here at Acorn Cottage, and the chance to both see a major exhibit of this Japanese folk art as close as the Bellevue Arts Museum and visit my beloved Seattle friends was impossible to resist...

Enter the domain of Maneki Neko!


makneki neko takes over the world...


or, at least a gallery room in the museum!

There were traditional maneki neko in all sorts of colors sizes and styles...

A white maneki neko with auspicious motifs on the red bib below the collar

There was an entire wall display of black maneki neko... (partially visible on the back wall to the left of the entry photo)

Each one with subtle differences in size, expression, and decorative details... reminded me a bit of those children's puzzles to "find what is different" puzzles to "find what is different"

A very simple shape, with wonderful zen brushstrokes

some of the beckoning cats were displayed in and around Japanese furniture

on the tansu stairs... I particularly like the shadows

this tiny maneki neko is an ojime, and is only a little bigger than my thumbnail

There were plenty of variations on Maneki neko, these two are playing Go...

an amazingly large hammered copper Maneki neko in the guise of a Buddhist monk

These blinking maneki neko were in very lively positions

There were related artifacts, like this carved wooden confection mold

:::

Downstairs, there were several modern interpretations, artisanal invitationals, like these carved crayon sculptures of a maneki neko and a pile of golden coins

or like these modern ceramic highly decorated ones
:::

and now, back to our regularly scheduled life...