Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi entitled: “Aki take | Red Bamboo” by Sato, Kouson
Dimensions: 22-1/2 ’h
Kouson-san worked out of her studio in Fukushima-ken, Kuwaori-machi. Sato-san is one of the few female, creative Kokeshi makers recognized as an accomplished Master of woodworking art. This was in the heart of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami devastation area of Fukushima Prefecture. She retired soon after.
Many Japanese believe Kokeshi has spiritual significance as related to nature and children. This impressive lathe-turned Birch, (Kabanoki), Kokeshi is beautifully hand-painted, with bamboo in Vemillion,(opaque, orangish red pigment), as the motif. Bamboo has always been a symbol of prosperity in Japan. For years, people were told to run into the bamboo groves in the event of an earthquake, because the bamboo’s strong root structure would hold the earth together. Images of bamboo are also symbolic of purity and innocence and are an auspicious symbol of long life and vitality.
Her sumi-e’ brushwork on the body is exceptionally painterly, and the details incorporate a simulation of the bamboo ‘node’, seen in its natural state. The head of this doll sits on top of a tapered neck and shows a traditional influence with the black bangs, side hair fringes, and a tiny expressive mouth. On top of the head is a traditional red bow. The artist signed the doll on the bottom.
The piece was published in the 2022 publication of Sosaku Kokeshi: Celebrating the Major Artists of the Creative Movement. For more information on this artist go to the following link: https://mingeiarts.com/collections/artisan-woodworker-sato-kouson-a-k-a-komura.
Condition: Superb in lathe turning, painting, and size, for it is outstandingly excellent, impressive, and beautiful. There are no chips, cracks, breaks, missing pieces or restoration, and it retains its original details and finish. The piece meets all the standards of the vintage collectible Sosaku Kokeshi by Sato, Kouson (A.K.A. Komora).
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Artisan | Woodworker: Sato, Kouson (A.K.A. Kimura)
Origin:
One of the few female creative Kokeshi makers recognized as an accomplished artist, Kouson worked out of her studio in Fukushima-ken, Kuwaori-machi. This was in the heart of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami devastation area of Fukushima Prefecture.
As collectors, we felt it was most important to represent all Sosaku Kokeshi artists, and particularly a female and whether or not the artist has a written account of his or her life. Each shows the diversity of this cultural specialization and the creative work produced by this artist.
Collector's note – descriptive qualities, standard characteristics & ornamentation styles:
Her dolls are easily recognized by wonderfully soft and gentle faces, with the bodies’ artwork ranging from simple but elegant sumi-e’ brush strokes to beautifully painted autumn leaves, camellia, (winter rose), or the chrysanthemum, (Kikumon, as related to the Imperial Seal of Japan) and bamboo. She occasionally created Zodiac characters that are quite rare! Not afraid to create very large dolls, her work distances itself from other female artists in the creative genre with her bold approach. She also incorporated “Chatter Work” into the body of some dolls to create a wonderful contrast in texture.
Artist's signature:
