$2,100
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Description
29" (74 cm.) The large-scale Musha-ningyo (warrior doll) of Kintaro, the Golden Boy, depicted as an infant, is carved of wood and covered overall in a pigmented gofun, with inset glass eyes, painted details, happy expression with open mouth revealing teeth and tongue, deep dimples and chin crease, large well-formed ears, and silk fiber hair. He is posed standing on a wood base with right leg kicked forward and both arms raised, holding his signature battle ax in his right hand, and wearing a rich figured silk with ho-o (phoenix) and kiri (paulownia) pattern and a fine silk embroidered figure of a minogame (long-tailed turtle) on a rock with crashing waves.Taisho Era, early 20th century. Kintaro became an important figure in the Boy's Day display over the course of the Meiji Era and into the 1900s, when child heroes such as Momotaro and Kintaro were aligned with Japan's national aspirations. Here, rather than a serious child-warrior of prodigious strength, he is depicted like a babbling baby delighted in a new toy.