Mark Gonnerman @surrogatereader

This description immediately brings to mind the exquisite and often highly detailed netsuke or larger okimono carvings produced in Japan during the Meiji Period (1868-1912). This era was a time of immense change in Japan, as the country opened up to the West after centuries of isolation. This shift had a profound impact on art, with a new emphasis on realism and depicting everyday life for an international market, as well as maintaining traditional craftsmanship. Here's a breakdown of what an ivory carving of a man selling baskets from this period would entail: Subject Matter: Depicting a "man selling baskets" is a classic example of genre carving, focusing on the common people (shomin) and their daily occupations. This was a popular theme during the Meiji period, appealing to both domestic audiences and, crucially, to Western collectors who were fascinated by Japanese culture and everyday scenes. These carvings often celebrated the dignity of labor or offered charming vignettes of street life. Material: Ivory: Ivory was a highly prized material for carving due to its smooth texture, rich creamy color, and the fine detail it could hold. While netsuke (miniature toggles for securing objects to kimonos) were traditionally carved from various materials, including wood, ivory became increasingly popular, especially for export. Larger okimono (decorative display pieces) were almost exclusively made from ivory. Artistic Detail and Realism: Meiji-era carvers were renowned for their extraordinary skill and meticulous attention to detail. For a man selling baskets, one would expect to see: Lifelike Features: Expressive facial features capturing the man's age, character, and perhaps even his calling out to potential customers. Realistic Clothing: Finely incised patterns on his kimono or other garments, showing folds, textures, and possibly the wear and tear of his trade. Intricate Baskets: The baskets themselves would likely be depicted with incredible precision, showing individual wicker strands and different weaves. There might be various types or sizes of baskets, neatly stacked or carried. Dynamic Pose: The man might be depicted walking, gesturing, or balancing his wares, conveying a sense of movement and narrative. Subtle Patina: Over time, the ivory would develop a beautiful, warm patina, enhancing its beauty. Cultural Context (Meiji Period, 1868-1912): End of Isolation: The Meiji Restoration led to Japan's rapid modernization and engagement with the world. This opened new markets for Japanese art. Shift in Patronage: With the decline of the samurai class and traditional patrons, artists increasingly produced works for export. This influenced subject matter and style, often favoring scenes that exoticized or simplified Japanese life for a foreign audience, while still retaining exceptional craftsmanship. Technical Mastery: Japanese carvers of this period reached unprecedented levels of technical skill, often pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved with ivory. Such an ivory carving would be a miniature masterpiece, capturing a slice of Japanese life from a pivotal historical period with breathtaking artistry. It would be highly sought after by collectors of Japanese art and antiques. #archaeohistories

This map should be included in every history book... History is not there for you to like or dislike. It is there for you to learn from it. And if it offends you, even better. Because then you are less likely to repeat it. It’s not yours for you to erase or destroy. ❤️

No one had a front seat to this death quite like I did. Starting in 2013, I hitchhiked over 100,000 miles in the USA over the course of five years. Even way back then -- just 12 years ago -- it was doable. Difficult, but doable. Now, the story is different. The difficulty has only increased. And by difficulty I mean -- people call the cops on you, and the cops treat you like an animal. Thousands and thousands of single-occupant vehicles drive by you; many of them avoid eye contact. Gas stations kick you out; whole towns want you gone. Even in formerly glorious hitchhiking havens like coastal Oregon and Vermont, a ride that would've taken a couple of hours in 2013 now may take DAYS. It began with smartphones, I think. In 2013, only about 50% of Americans had the things. Their brains were still supple and un-fried. Human beings were still human to them. Then, Covid was the death knell. That was the final straw. I watched the country change dramatically on an extremely deep, fundamental level. Basic human warmth, trust amongst strangers, and so on went out the window. The impacts of these things have for some reason hit Americans much harder. It's not the same in Canada -- where hitchhiking still feels safe, reliable, and enjoyable. My wife and I relied purely on hitchhiking in some very remote parts of Newfoundland last year without issues. Same in Quebec. The minute we crossed into the US, you could feel a change in the motorists; something was different. Everyone is leery in America now; trust is abysmally low even in places that have not had any discernible increase in crime, migration, drugs, etc. Where once we watched outrageous, distressing news on TV (and then turned off the TV) now we are scrolling outrageous, distressing news 24/7 on a smart telephone, in the most polarized political and cultural environment in recent American history. Covid then taught us to cloister ourselves away, to shut the windows and the doors, to ignore others. Now, to attempt to hitchhike the same routes I once hitched would be an extreme challenge. The journey would have a kind of penitential character. You would suffer badly in the attempt. I would not recommend it to anyone. I may have been one of the last American hitchhikers to really see that side of America. I hope I am wrong, but by all I have seen, I think it really is over, maybe forever, and my grief over this loss is heavy. It colors my every day in the USA now. It feels like I have lost my country.

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Umberto Eco, who owned 50,000 books, had this to say about home libraries: It is foolish to think that you have to read all the books you buy, as it is foolish to criticize those who buy more books than they will ever be able to read. It would be like saying that you should use all the cutlery or glasses or screwdrivers or drill bits you bought before buying new ones. There are things in life that we need to always have plenty of supplies, even if we will only use a small portion. If, for example, we consider books as medicine, we understand that it is good to have many at home rather than a few: when you want to feel better, then you go to the ‘medicine closet’ and choose a book. Not a random one, but the right book for that moment. That’s why you should always have a nutrition choice! Those who buy only one book, read only that one and then get rid of it. They simply apply the consumer mentality to books, that is, they consider them a consumer product, a good. Those who love books know that a book is anything but a commodity.”

Thread of religious wonders so surreal you won't believe they exist 🧵 1. Sumela Monastery, Turkey, 386 AD

Let this man Cooke.

*The Matter with Things* (2021) is a GREAT reading experience. This lecture will draw you into the heart of Iain McGilchrist’s remarkable life and work: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the…

Spectacular review of Iain McGilchrist’s epochal THE MATTER WITH THINGS by @ddhitchens! I’ve been raving about this book for ages. It is foundational to my book Living In Wonder, which is like a Post-it note commentary on its themes. You MUST read it! firstthings.com/article/2025/0…

Why did past societies build so much "useless" beauty everywhere — and why did we stop? It might be a measure of a culture's health... (thread) 🧵

Last May in Cambridge, I was lucky to get the chance to interview Professor Robert Pogue Harrison, one of the most vital voices and thinkers I know of 3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2…

i wrote a piece about how we might reimagine where we live - for @longnow, and thanks for edits by @ahmedkabil & @Jacobkupp longnow.org/ideas/bioregio…

Bioregionalism and the Reinhabitation of Place with Mark Gonnerman entitled-opinions.com/2024/05/09/bio…

The 2011 Japan #earthquake had #significant effects on the oceans. The earthquake itself with a magnitude of 9.0-9.1 triggered a massive #tsunami.

Cold morning prayers🥶🌨️☃️ #Kyoto #京都 #Japan #snow #winter #Japan #Kyotosnow #snowday

Here are some things you probably won't hear elsewhere.

@historyinmemes The dragon drone x.com/roaneatan/stat…

Painting by Bob Dylan Lake Elsinor. 2020 Acrylic on canvas 92 x 122 cm —

@surrogatereader Just put together a thread on a bit of my experience with Mountains and Rivers Without End and A Sense of the Whole. Thank you so much for your contributions to the field! x.com/willszal/statu…

Will Szal @willszal

3 years ago

I've embarked on #GarySnyder's #MagnumOpus, Mountains and Rivers Without End. I've read it through once, and have begun on the reader. Looking forward to listening to the audio edition soon. I'll start sharing excerpts/notes below. #DeepEcology #poetry

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Snow falling in Kyoto, Japan ❄️ 📹: [ Hisa0808 ]

x.com/SlenderSherbet…