Very Rare Carved Wooden Presentation Doll (Uizan-Ningyo), 18th Century

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14" (36 cm.) kneeling. Posed kneeling with carved wooden hands posed in its lap, the early doll has a carved wooden head with rounded shape, gofun finish, painted features including tiny eyes with heavy eyelids and tiny mouth, black silk fiber hair, and is wearing a red silk crepe (chirimen) sleeveless outer coat with gold thread embroidery, black silk kimono with gold thread embroidery and white bell flowers, and blue silk brocade obi. Fair condition, gofun and textiles quite worn. Edo period, 18th century. A very rare doll, the uizan-ningyo was a traditional gift to young Noh actors on the occasion of their first performance, In Ningyo, The Art of the Japanese Doll, Alan Scott Pate notes "Extant examples of this type of ningyo are quite rare...Given their nature as a gift, and the importance of the recipient, the textiles used for uizan-ningyo and the sculptural qualities of the face and hands were frequently of the highest order". After 1790, it was forbidden to create this doll in a size over 12".