Passed
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Description
5" (13 cm.) Saga-style ningyo of Seiobo (Queen Mother of the West), carved of wood and covered in rich lacquered pigments, gofun face with carved hair and crown, mounted on a gold lacquer base, full cheeks, bee-sting mouth. Extensive craquelure to face, rubbing to base. Meiji Era, circa 1900. Seiobo was a figure taken from Chinese mythology and is said to reside over the garden of immortality, home to the peaches of immortality, where the gods of longevity congregate. Saga-ningyo developed in the late 17th century in the Saga area to the north and west of Kyoto and were crafted by Buddhist carvers as a profitable sideline. The Buddhist carvers were noted for whimsical carvings of Buddhist acolytes called doji as well as gods of good fortune and the various types of people one would see in and around Kyoto. Over time, other makers in other areas of Japan capitalized on their popularity and cachet. Not officially "saga-ningyo", they are usually referred to as a "saga-type" or "saga-style."