Very Rare Grand-Sized Portrait Ningyo of Empress Jingo and Her Minister

Live Auction

35" (89 cm.) Each with carved wooden head with gofun finish and finely-painted facial features (she with "sky-brows") including Empress Jingu, posed standing, wearing a finely-wrought gauze outer robe with interwoven gold threads in a scroll foliate pattern, a silk crepe (chirimen) breastplate with metal crest of a dragon and with black velvet detail and repeated lion (shishi) ornamentation which is repeated on the thigh guards, and with fur boots and gold brocade hakama trousers, Eboshi cap, thick purple silk crepe obi, and carrying a reed battle fan (gumbai). And her attendant Takenouchi no Sukune, with sculpted wizened features and white silk fiber hair, beard and moustache, posed seated on camp stool, wearing a silk brocade outer robe with dragon and cloud motif, black velvet detailing and repeated shishi, blue silk brocade trousers with cloud and lightning pattern, yellow silk crepe obi, red silk crepe armature, white silk under-kimono with flying crane designs, black lacquered Chinese style cap with scroll motif, silk brocade shoes with toe block, and carrying a battle fan (gumbai) which matches hers. Generally excellent. Edo period, circa 1800. Depicting the Empress Jingu and her minister Takenouchi, in rare combat pose and with rare matching battle fans (most extant examples are in post-combat pose, he holding the baby). History and legend concerning Empress Jingu are intricately interwoven and impenetrable, remaining a compelling story to this day. The pair are shown in Japanese Dolls, The Fascinating World of Ningyo by Alan Scott Pate, page 87.