Vintage Japanese Sosaku Kokeshi entitled: “Hatsune | A Lady” by Shouzan, Shido
Dimensions: 19-1/2”h
This is an exceptional and “rare” vintage Sosaku Kokeshi by Shouzan-san who loved studying the use of combining different types of wood to gain the desired effect and to give dimension to his pieces. This doll incorporates the use of Paulownia, Beech, and Cherry. He also emphasized his enjoyment of creating slender, tall dolls to support the fact that they resemble the tall, thin trees seen throughout Japan.
Here we see an extremely unusual type of headdress, called a ‘Tsunokakushi’, inspired by samurai headgear worn in battle in the medieval age. It is a wide hood type of design, topped with a ‘Mage’, (topknot inspired by samurai headgear worn in battle in the medieval age). As in real life, the traditional layering of clothing is shown through delicate carving techniques, including the narrow carved and undecorated Obi. The figure shows the use of a double-layered kimono with a neckline that is cut lower, cut to expose the thin, with an exaggerated neck. The face on this doll is understated, with two tiny red dots for a nose. The doll has Shouzan's signature stamp on the bottom.
Condition: Mint condition exhibiting an aged patination and meticulous care. There are no missing elements, no scratches or imperfections related to daily use with all detailed elements intact. The object retains the original craftsmanship, meeting the standards of the collector of Japanese Sosaku Kokeshi.
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Artisan | Woodworker: Shido, Shouzan | 1932-1995
Origin:
Shido-san is considered by Kokeshi collectors and critics alike to be arguably the most influential artist in the world of Sosaku Kokeshi doll making. Shido-san’s main focus was depicting unadorned Northern girls in the traditional “Mino”, or Snow Coat, but he also produced tall, thin dolls, which were sparsely decorated. His keen sense of design, minimal use of color, and simple elegant shapes set him apart from his peers, making him one of the most collectible artists emerging from the creative period of the ‘60s. He is a winner of the Prime Minister’s Award, among many other awards.
Collector's note – descriptive qualities, standard characteristics & ornamentation styles:
Shido-san loved studying the use of combining different types of wood to gain the desired effect and to give dimension to his pieces. He also enjoyed creating slender, tall dolls to support the fact that they resemble the tall, thin trees seen throughout Japan. He incorporated a repetitive textural pattern called ‘Harmonic Chatter work’ to enhance the natural qualities of the wood on many of his works.
Shido-san particularly enjoyed the textural qualities of ‘Chattering’ on the rain/snow coat, (Minomushi), which is a favorite theme, executed with minimal painted ornamentation, with an emphasis on the natural wood. In general, it is said the Japanese culture is one of modesty and humility. Occasionally we see different types of headdress, one of which he called a ‘Tsunokakushi’, which is a wide headresses or hood, which covered elaborate hairstyles. We are told that the Japanese people regulate their behavior and response by reading faces and the eyes of others. Here, as well as elsewhere, you will see many examples of different characteristics of the eye is expressions. His most famous doll was called “mai”, a dancer, which was an elegant and slender doll created in 1970. This doll exhibited traditional hair design with an emphasis on a brightly colored “obi” which brings forth the best use of complex geometry to create traditional Japanese clothing elements.
Shido-san was a prolific artist/woodworker of Kokeshi dolls. We additionally see unusual subjects focused on Zen Buddhism and figures of Daruma, (Bodhidharma) of which most were made in a “roly-poly” type figure seen throughout festivals in Japan.
Artist's Signature:
