Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi entitled: “Shuen | The Past” by Katase, Kaihei (1921-2015)
Dimensions: 13-00”h
Katase-san was recognized for his exceptional crafting skills and was named “Holder of Excellent Technique” by the Prime Minister in 1970. A seldom-seen form, this doll was made to record the arrival, in the 18th century, of the Dutch East Indies Trading Company to Japan. At the time, the Dutch maintained a trading post at Hirado, an artificial island off the coast of Nagasaki. During this period, the Dutch were the only Europeans allowed into Japan, and as a result, had a major influence on how the Japanese interpreted life and style of dress, including hair treatment.
This tall and slender beauty is a wonderful representative example of European dress and an interpretation of oversized up-flipped hair styling. Being lathe-turned, this doll is beautifully lacquered, with the textured body in multiple colors of vermilion, yellow, and black. Her eyes are not painted but carved into the wood, and she has a tiny red dot for a nose. This Kokeshi is not signed but distinctly Katase-san’s style of work and particularly, the detailing and lacquering. Art objects at this time were not necessarily signed, because they were made for domestic customers, and the artist was known through every prefecture in Japan. This piece has the artist's impressed stamp on the lower side of the doll which means it was for a special Japanese customer.
The piece was also included 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-katase-kahei-1922-2015.
Condition: Superb, outstandingly excellent, impressive, and beautiful. We have not seen another in 30 years of collecting Sosaku Kokeshi. No chips, cracks, breaks, missing pieces, or restoration, and retains its original details and finish. The piece meets all the standards of the vintage collectible Sosaku Kokeshi.
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Artisan | Woodworker: Katase, Kahei | 1922-2015
Origin:
He was born in Kanazawa prefecture in 1921 in a region known for its beautiful wooden marquetry crafts. Katase-san, the son of a Kijishi, (woodworker), won the first Prime Minister’s Award in 1954 at the ‘All Nippon Kokeshi Competition’. Along with many of his fellow Sosaku artists, Katase-san was a soldier and perhaps turned to creative Kokeshi-making to assuage the rigors of a long-fought war. Since 1962, he served as a judge at Kokeshi Contest in Japan. In 1955, his work was dedicated to Her Majesty the Empress, and in 1965, t His Majesty the Emperor. In 1970 he was awarded the holder of Excellent Technique and was named a member of Meiko-Kai. He went to the United States in 1973 to direct the overseas exhibition in St Louis and was introduced through a television program in Missouri State. He was a member o the Cultural Properties Protection Committee of Hakone Town and a member of the Nippon Kokeshi Artistic Handicraft Association.
Katase focuses on what is known as “one-off” dolls turned from one piece of wood and detailed throughout the figural form. They primarily illustrate the “new” styles of Japan of the 18th century when the Dutch East Indies Trading Company influenced Japanese everyday life and customs. Buddhist figures, which are intricately carved, are another style by this artist.
Collector's note – descriptive qualities, standard characteristics & ornamentation styles:
In many dolls, he utilizes a hand-painted striping technique called Rokuro Moyo, and in several instances, he incorporates seasonal flowers into the kimono representation. The hair and clothing of his pieces are subtly textured with a lacquered finish.
Artist's signature:
