Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi entitled: “Fusetu | Wind and Snow” by Shouzan, Shido (1932-1995)

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Dimensions: 10-1/2”h

Shouzan-san is considered by Kokeshi collectors and critics alike to be the most influential artist in the world of Sosaku Kokeshi doll-making, which emerged during the creative period of the ‘60s. He is a multiple winner of the Prime Minister’s Award, among many other awards.

This “Rare Find” exhibits one of Shouzan’s favored design elements: an extensive and repetitive textural treatment called ‘Harmonic Chatter work’. This random texturization enables the artist to produce some exquisite, yet unique surface treatments to represent the blanket wrap referred to as a “Kakumaki”, which is a winter shawl, that was used throughout the Northern part of Japan to throw on quickly to keep a body warm on short outings. The natural qualities of the wood are brought forward beautifully with minimal painted ornamentation. That painted surface is seen in the inclusion of a long flowing vermillion neck scarf that wraps around the shoulders and down the front of the body. Her head has a classic hairstyle with a (Mage), and the top of her head complements the wrapped hairstyle and side hair fringes framing the face. She has a small red dot for a nose. Shouzan placed his red Hanko on the bottom of the doll. 

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-shido-shozan-1932-1995.

Condition: Superb lathe turning, detailing, 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 finishes. The piece meets all the standards of the vintage collectible Sosaku Kokeshi by Shouzan, Shido.