Artisan | Woodworker: Kobayashi, Inosuke | 1931-

Biographical Information:

Kobayashi was born in 1931 in Gunma Prefecture and died early, with no published record of his death. He studied oil painting while in school, and evident in his works of which several were awarded the coveted Prime Minister award in 1979. As collectors, it was most important to represent Kobayashi-san along with all Sosaku Kokeshi artists, whether or not the artist has a written account of his or her life.

As collectors, we felt it was most important to represent all Sosaku Kokeshi artists, whether or not each artist has a written account of his/her life. We show the diversity of cultural values and the creative work produced by a multitude of artists. As a valued customer, Kokeshi collector noted, “Kokeshi collecting is a personal journey in this everlasting realm of Japanese esthetics”.  DF

In researching old writings through articles and books that remain, it is evident that the Kokeshi Craftsperson not only created beautiful forms as toys, but also kept alive cultural values, customs, and fashion through the extensive representations of Kokeshi dolls. The beauty is in the doll and not the signatures, for most masters never signed their dolls. Later they named the dolls, but only when Westerners insisted on signatures because they did not know the artists, so the carvers began to sign their works, for the carvers wanted to promote sales to make a living, during the seasons that did not provide an environment to continue their otherwise daily work.

Collector's note – descriptive qualities, standard characteristics & ornamentation styles:

Kobayashi-san created a limited number of dolls, most showing simple to elaborate treatment of the Kimono illustrating a diversity of textile design and workmanship, and most of all brocades giving character to his pieces. Each are an important record of Japanese textile arts of the period, showing the diversity of his cultural emphasis, dignity, and humility. From our records of conversations, Kobayashi-san claimed that the dolls shown in this overview were his favorites, all of which were difficult to pass on to other Kokeshi enthusiasts.