Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi entitled: “Fuyu no shojo | Winter Girl” by Shouzan, Shido (1932-1995)
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Dimensions: 11-3/4”h
This large and exceptionally turned and carved doll represents a girl wearing a Minomushi, (Snow Coat), and is a favorite theme of Shouzan-san. The ‘Mino’ is an article of clothing worn to protect rural people of the mountains from rain and snow and is fashioned after an earlier version that was made of straw. Shouzan-san enjoyed the textural qualities of ‘Chattering’ and demonstrates the process beautifully in his interpretations of winter coverings, which demand minimal painted ornamentation and place an emphasis on the natural wood. Shown is an obi that is simply a band of waxed wood and differed from each of his dolls of this type. A simple face with bangs and slanted eyes are peeping out from under the Mino. The doll is signed in white on the back of the doll by the artist.
Condition: This doll is in Mint condition, meaning that the piece retains its original craft/workmanship showing a wonderful-developed patina commensurate which suggests no degree of wearing that corresponds to its vintage. It is void of damage, cracks, breakage, or repairs and meets all the standards of the collectible Sosaku Kokeshi.
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Artisan | Woodworker: Shido, Shouzan | 1932-1995
Biographical History:
Shouzan began making Sosaku Kokeshi in 1959, soon after he graduated from Chuo University with a law degree. He 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 winning various awards since 1961. He served as a judge of the All Japan Kokeshi Contest from 1970 to 1976. During that time Shozan published a book entitled Kizin Kasho comprising examples of his award-winning Kokeshi. His dolls have been collected and exhibited worldwide and winner of the Prime Minister’s Award, among many other awards.
Collector's note – descriptive qualities, standard characteristics & ornamentation styles:
Shito-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 in many of his works. He 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 that Japanese culture is one of modesty and humility. Occasionally saw different types of headdresses, one of which he called a ‘Tsunokakushi’, which is a wide headdress or hood, that 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's expressions. His most famous doll, which was considered a favorite was called “Mai”, a dancer, which was an elegant and slender doll with a beautifully formed Kimono focusing on traditional hair design (Mage) with an emphasis on a brightly colored “obi” which brings forth the best use of complex geometry to create traditional Japanese clothing elements which were created in 1970.
Shito-san was a prolific artist/woodworker of Kokeshi dolls some of which were whimsical, some focusing on calligraphy citing haiku (poems). 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.