Artisan | Woodworker: Nyogetsuin

Biographical History:

The only information found on this strange big eyed Kokeshi is that this type of Sosaku Daruma Nodder comes from the Zuigan-ji, temple in Sendai, founded in 828 by a sect of Esoteric Buddhism and created by a person by the name of Nyogetsuin. The temple Zuigan-Ji was greatly damaged during the earthquake on March 11, 2011. The dolls are now considered rare and precious. 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. 

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:

Nyogetsuin’s dolls are characterised by having overscaled facial features such as large “white” eyes and large nose. The bodies are beautifully painted in red, black and white in an almost sumi-e’ manner. Writers say that the faces are resembling Daruma with his stern, meditative expression.