$1,800
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Description
9" (23 cm.) -10" seated. Created for the Girl's Day Display, the rare pair, depicting Japan's 122nd Emperor, Mutsuhito (1852-1912) and the empress Shoken (Haruko, 1849-1914), are presented in almost portrait-like fashion; he in Western naval regalia sitting on a Victorian style chair, wool coat with heavy supplemental gold wrapped thread embroidery, sash, metal sword with blade, Western style haircut with chin beard and mustache, slightly pigmented gofun, white felt gloves, white felt trousers with side piping, gold lacquered western-style shoes, and she, seated in a western-style chair, wearing a classic yusoku court robe in red figured silk with repeated white embroidered design roundels, her gofun skin left white, holding fan, both with inset glass. Meiji Period, circa 1900. The Meiji emperor ruled over Japan in a time of immense social and political changes, all brought about by Japan's opening to the West after some 200 years of isolation. His push to modernize along Western models is reflected in his adoption of Western style naval and military clothing as his official "uniform." His supportive empress also adopted Western style clothing for a time but later reverted to classical attire for public audiences. The use of a living emperor and empress to serve as the dairi-bina for the Girl's Day display was unique in Japan's ningyo history and reflect how the institution of emperor was made central to Japanese culture and society during this period.