Passed
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Description
19" (48 cm.) h, including cap. 18"w. Musha-ningyo (warrior doll) depicting Toyotomi Hideyoshi (the Taiko, 1536-1598) has head, hands and feet of wood covered in a fine white gofun, well carved face with strong features, painted details, large inset glass eyes, silk fiber hair, hands painted to simulate leather gloves, wearing brilliant blue and gold kinran brocade surcoat with giant floral burst design, with a beautiful lavish white silk brocade inner lining, lacquered paper armor, gold lacquered cuirass with blue silk lacing and bold dragon crest, dark metal details of flowering peonies echoing the design on his coat, shoulder and thigh guards, red felt accents, with a heavy metal gumbai Chinese-style battle fan in right hand having sun and moon design and a nicely wrought metal chrysanthemum worked into the tine, long and short swords at hip, gold lacquered eboshi-style cap, and is posed seated atop a gold silk brocade zabuton cushion bearing Hideyoshi's signature kiri (paulownia) crest, which is resting atop a black lacquered wooden base. Restoration of head, losses of hair. Edo Period, mid-19th century, circa 1850. Hideyoshi was introduced as a Boy's Day figure in the first half of the 19th century as part of a cultural rediscovery of Hideyoshi and his period of history. He is usually depicted seated cross-legged, in great contrast to either the traditional kneeling vassal or a general seated on a military campstool. This new seated format of depiction would later be employed in ningyo of Ojin Tenno which became particularly popular during the Meiji Era.