Carved Wooden Takeda Courtier in Sumptuous Silk Costume, Circa 1850

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16" (41 cm.) Carved wooden head, hands and feet, gofun finish with fine lustrous sheen on head and hands, painted facial features with highly-dramatized fierce expression including exclamatory brows, deeply-downcast lips and shadowed chin, and with painted black hair under silk fiber short sidelocks, and attached cap. Posed in highly-dynamic manner with twisted torso, right foot extended to the side with uplifted toe, and extended arms in counter-pose to face. He is wearing a sumptuous costume of red silk crepe (chirimen) with gold thread sleeve embroidery known as futami-gaura (wedded rocks), with green silk brocade outer coat, silk crepe armor leg protectors and with two long swords. Mounted on original black lacquer base with embroidered textile insert. Generally excellent. Edo period, circa 1850. The takeda-ningyo provides an unusual and fascinating combination of courtier and warrier costumes.