Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi Entitled, “Winter Drizzle | Sansa Shigure” by Takahashi Tatsuro
Dimensions: 12-0”h
This exceptional doll incorporates distinctive features for which the artist is known, which is his exquisite dolls depicting famous poems. This Kokeshi is entitled, “Sansa Shigure | Winter Drizzle”, and depicts a famous Heian Period court song about waiting for Spring.
The Haiku reads:
“The clouds are gone and
sparrows
are telling each other tales”.
The head of the doll has traditional overtones of the Tougatta style with bangs, side hair fringes, and an expressive face with arched upper eyebrows and eyes, a teardrop nose, and red lips. The transition from the body to the head is beautifully turned, with the collar of the Kimono sensitively fashioned. The body is done by the Sosaku standards and is decorated with a bamboo tree and two lovely black and white sparrows sitting on its branches. They are accompanied by a beautifully written poem noted above. From the earliest stages of Japanese history, poetry and song have been very important, and any distinction between the two is not clear. What is clear is that poetry is almost always imagined as being recited aloud. Poetry and music are the themes of these beautifully rendered figures. The doll is finished with a natural-colored candle wax, (Rosoku no ro). Takahashi-san’s work is very rare and highly collectible. The doll has the artist's stamp on the bottom.
Condition: Excellent, original, immaculate condition, with no fading or loss of color and consistent with age. The piece meets all the standards of collectible Folk Art.
NOTE: As collectors, we felt it was most important to represent all Traditional and Sosaku Kokeshi, whether or not the artist has been identified, their seal or artistic signature translated, or a written account of this artist’s life. Each shows the diversity of this cultural specialization and the creative work produced by this artist. There is no biography published on this artist.
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Artisan | Woodworker: Takahashi, Tatsuro
[no-bio]Collector's note – descriptive qualities, standard characteristics & ornamentation styles:
Known for his exquisite dolls depicting famous poems, Tatsuro’s dolls are highly coveted by collectors. These three Kokeshi entitled, “Sansa Shigure | Winter Drizzle”, depict a famous Heian Period court song about waiting for Spring. The bodies are decorated with bamboo and sparrows and accompany the beautiful writing of the poems. From the earliest stages of Japanese history, poetry and song have been very important, and any distinction between the two is not clear. What is clear is that poetry is almost always imagined as being recited aloud. Poetry and music are the theme of these beautifully rendered figures.
The Haiku reads:
“The clouds are gone and
sparrows
are telling each other tales”.
Artist's signature:
