Statuette of an ox, A statuette in black stone of a lying ox (nadeushi) on a pile of pillows on two boxes. Large and small silver coins lie on the floor, the large coins indicate the long months of the ox's new year, the small coins the short months. Merchants often had a statue of an ox as a talisman. By stroking it daily, they hoped for the fulfillment of their wishes. When this actually happened, an extra pillow was placed under the statue. With four poems, ox, Ry?ry?kyo Shinsai (mentioned on object), Japan, 1817, paper, colour woodcut, h 207 mm ⊙ w 176 mm.