When Edmund de Waal inherits a collection of 264 netsuke - ornate Japanese carvings made out of ivory and wood - he decides to trace back this strange inheritance through his family line.
De Waal’s search takes him to Paris, to walk the streets of Charles Ephrussi, a distant uncle and the original owner of the netsuke. It is the mid 19th Century, the Ephrussi’s are a notable Jewish family - kings of the European grain trade - and Charles lives in a world of fine art, fine homes and plenty of money.
At the turn of the century the netsuke are sent to Austria as a wedding present for Viktor and Emmy Ephrussi, who live in a grand home in the heart of Vienna. These tiny sculptures live a quiet life in Emmy’s dressing room until the Nazi party takes over Austria and the family’s possessions and property are ransacked.
How did the netsuke escape this purge to find their next home in Japan? De Waal’s search leads him to uncover a fascinating history of a European family who are buffeted by war, anti-semitism, dispossession and survival.
Негізгі бет The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal .- ABC The Book Club
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