$1,100
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Description
20" (51 cm.) Sosaku musha-ningyo (art warrior doll) for the Boy's Day display depicting the Chinese Emperor Han Wudi (Japanese name Kan Butei) for the Boy's Day display, with finely detailed and realistic head and hands of wood covered in a pigmented gofun with inset glass eyes, hair done in elaborate side loops with long chin beard and mustache, clothed in archaic style with white silk brocade robes, gold and white brocade trousers secured below the knees by a silk tie cord, heavy silk brocade boots with lacing, finely wrought metal sword at his hip, natural wood staff in his left hand, full arrow quiver at his back, and mounted on a black lacquered stand, accompanied by a kifuda (name plaque) with title: "Butei" and artist name "Beishu" with red inscription and stamp of Mukei bunkazai (Intangible Cultural Property). Created by Hara Beishu (1893-1989, who received this cultural honor in 1966. Showa Era, Post War. In this figure, the artist Beishu has depicted Kan Butei (Han Wudi) in a manner usually associated with Jimmu Ten'no, the legendary first emperor of Japan. Han Wudi was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty and reigned from 141-87 BCE. He established Confucianism as the state doctrine and is held as a paragon of filial piety.