Antique Japanese Wood and Papier Mache Rib Cage Section from Anatomical Model contemplative portraiut The box itself is carved

The box itself is carved from one piece of wood

but here and there as highlights on the textured body too

and that little handful of flowers that surely he picked himself

Errington when I found this (these)

As I'm sure you are aware by now

Antique Japanese Wood and Papier Mache Rib Cage Section from Anatomical Model contemplative portraiut The box itself is carvedThis beautiful sculptural curiosity is a Japanese wood and papier mache fragment half of a rib cage from what I presume was a full body model of a human skeleton. I've learned that very finely crafted wooden skeletons were first created during the Edo era in Japan (late 1700s early 1800s), when medical doctors were unable to keep human skeletons for study and teaching purposes. I would imagine this piece was made following in that tradition; I am not