$7,500
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Description
28" (71 cm.) Courtesan. 20" Attendant, The courtesan has a carved wooden shoulderhead with slender and refined shape and pose of face, elongated throat, gofun finish, narrow enamel eyes with heavily-defined eyelids, painted detail of hair feathering around the sides of face with a widow's peak at the center forehead, black silk fiber hair that is very elaborately-arranged and decorated with silk crepe (chirimen) in a fawn-spot pattern, tortoise hair combs. and tinsel. She is posed in an elegant, yet sensuous, manner with carved wooden hands and feet and outstretched arms and is wearing an exceptionally lavish costume of silks and brocades with padded-hems, pale green inner kimono having red silk crepe panels, red brocade outer kimono (uchigake) arranged as though falling off her shoulders and accented with silver threads (ginran), and a superb brown brocade obi with chrysanthemum pattern that ties at the front to signify her high-ranking courtesan status. The courtesan appears to be advising her young attendant who stands modestly alongside, with gofun finish, enamel eyes, painted features including feathering of hair around her forehead, with black silk fiber hair arranged elaborately in a coiled topknot and decorated with chirimen bows, silver paper flowers and tinsel, and wearing a floral-patterned silk crepe kimono with padded hem, and brown brocade silk obi with silk crepe ties, holding a gilt metal hair ornament. The pair are posed on original wooden black lacquer base. Generally excellent. Taisho era, circa 1920. The pair are notable not only for their grand size, but also for superb details of costume and coiffure.