$3,250
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sold
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Description
6" (15 cm.) Charming Mitsuore gosho-ningyo (triple-jointed palace doll) of wood construction covered overall with a fine gofun, joints at the hips, kneels and ankles that allow it to be positioned sitting, kneeling or standing, painted details with particularly richly detailed hair, with a small birodo black velvet patch at the top of head, wearing a chirimen silk crepe kimono with embroidered floral designs with gold-wrapped thread elements and fuji wisteria family crest at the shoulders, and a tasseled silk crepe mamori-bako (charm bag) attached to his obi tie belt. Fading and wear to flocking of kimono, line in gofun at chin. Edo Period, circa 1800. Exhibited Japan Society (1996). Published in Ningyo: The Art of the Human Figure, page 88. Small mitsuore such as this, known as "kogata," are believed to have been used as play dolls by children of the nobility, military elite and wealthy merchant families.