Netsuke of Ashinaga and Tenaga with an Octopus

Netsuke of Ashinaga and Tenaga with an Octopus

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ashinaga ("long legs") and Tenaga ("long arms") are two mythical figures who utilize their enhanced extremities to capture creatures from the ocean. The pair thus transforms what might at first appear as physical disfigurements into a mutually beneficial attribute. Here Tenaga grasps the day's catch, an octopus, in his left hand. In turn, the octopus' tentacles ensnare Ashinaga's legs and Tenaga's arm, and one tentacle reaches up toward Ashinaga's back.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Netsuke of Ashinaga and Tenaga with an OctopusNetsuke of Ashinaga and Tenaga with an OctopusNetsuke of Ashinaga and Tenaga with an OctopusNetsuke of Ashinaga and Tenaga with an OctopusNetsuke of Ashinaga and Tenaga with an Octopus

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.