8/3/2019 Edmund de Waal
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EdmunddeWaalisthewriterofthefascinatingbookTHEHAREWITHAMBEREYES
inwhichtriesnotonlytoexplainofhowthenetsukes(verysmallobjectsmadebyJapanesecraftsmen)cameintotheEphrussifamilybuthealsowritesabouttheidentityofhisfamily,aboutlossoraboutsurvival.
Inthisvideohestartsspeakingaboutthenetsukesandtheirstory.Theobjectheholdsinhishandisquiteheavy,madeofivory,itsawellfedorfatharewithself-satisfiedambereyes.Itsfromthe18thcenturyJapanorKyoto.Thislittlecarvingusedtobehangingfromabelt.
Hegoesbacktowhenhewas17yearsoldandwhenhewasbeingapprenticedasapotterandtellsusthatitwasthenthefirsttimehewentofftoJapanandpotteryvillages
andfinallyturningupathisgreatuncleIggies,anelderlyJewishgentlemaninTokyo.Therewerebookseverywhereandtherewasalsoavitrinewhichlitupandwhichwasfullupof265ridiculouslittlenetsukes.InthecourseofmanyyearsIggietellsEdmund
thestoryofthesetinythingsandhowtheygottoTokyoBytheyearsEdmundgetsmoreandmoreinvolvedwithJapan.
Iggiefaughtinthe2ndworldwarfortheAmericans.HehadderivedfromEnglandwherehehadvisitedhissister.HeknewthathisfatherhaddiedandhismotherhadcommittedsuicideinAustria.IggieandElisabeth,E.deWaalsgrandmother,spokeaboutthefactthatnothinghadremainedoftheirfamily,nothingwithwhattheyhadgrownupwithwasleft,exceptthenetsukes.
IggiedoesntwanttogobacktoAmericaanddoesnotwanttostayinEuropeandthere-
foredecidestogobackhometoJapan.There,theseobjectshaveanextraordinarylifewithIggie,hispartnerandtheirfriends.
IggietellsEdmundabouttheperiodinVienna,abouttheridiculousPalaisintheRingstrasse,oppositetheUniversity.Thefamilywasthensorichtheyhadservantsforeverythingandhorses.Forthechildren,however,therewasonlyonemomentinthedaywhentheycouldseetheirmotherwhenshewasgettingdressedtogooutfordinner.ShelovedtogooutandshelovedherloversandEdmunddeWaalhasnowrealizedthathehascousinsallovertheworld.InthedressingroomtherewasavitrineandwhilethemaidAnnawasdressingEmmythekeywasturnedandthechildrenwereallowedtoplaywiththenetsukes.Onlyinthesemomentscouldthechildrenspeaktotheirmother!
Butthestorystarts,infact,inParisbyIggiesuncleCharleswhowasafamousartcollector,arthistorianandeditorandanearlymentorofimpressionists.ItwashimwhoboughtthenetsukesandlaterfelloutoflovewiththemandgavethemtoEmmyandVictorasaweddinggift.
Theyoungcouple,however,doesnotknoweitherwhattodowiththeseobjectsbecausethePalaisisalreadyfullupofthingsboughtonashoppingspreethroughoutEurope.Sotheyputthemintothedressingroom.
InRenoirsLuncheonoftheBoatingPartywecanseeCharlesatthebackandhehad
Proustashissecretary!CharlesbecomesoneofthemodelsforCharlesSwanninlarecherchedutempsperdu.
Charlesloveseverythingthathastodowithcontemporaryart.
