$700
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Description
14" (36 cm.) l. of base. 2 1/2"- 4 1/2" figures. Seven figures, carved of wood with separately formed heads, intentionally darkened gofun to give a sense of age, narrow eyes, form a lovely vignette depicting five adults and one child engaged in an odori folk dance. The female figures are all in richly patterned kimono with obi tie belts and hair in tall chignon with combs; the men are wearing swords at their hips positioned with arms to the side revealing the details of their kimono and haori outer coat, one with open fan; and the child delightfully depicted in red kimono and obi with a uchiwa summer fan in her hand; all mounted on a long wooden stand with two front apertures. Showa Era, 20th century. Saga-ningyo are differentiated by their use of rich pigments over the wood, rather than using textiles. Sosaku-ningyo are contemporary (20th century) art doll traditions that either closely emulate traditional forms or take traditional techniques and apply them to new and imaginative figures and subjects. While Saga-ningyo originated in the 17th century, artisans across Japan have been drawn to the form of Saga-ningyo as a way to capture time and evoke by-gone eras. The Japanese traditional cultural landscape is peppered with an astonishing array of traditional folk dances referred to as odori. Some are performed solo, some in large groups. And genre paintings from the period help to convey what festive and joyous occasions these were.