$850
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Description
8 1/2" (22 cm.) The mitate gosho-ningyo (parody palace doll), depicting Ryujin (the undersea dragon god), of wood composite covered overall in a white gofun with silk fiber hair, is depicted kneeling, holding a clam shell in his right hand, with the undersea palace resting between his knees, sporting a painted Chinese-style cap secured by a silk tie cord, clothed with a simple silk-crepe haragake bib bearing painted images of blue plover and flowers, Overall fine condition, replaced silk fiber hair. Edo Period, 19th century. Exhibited: Mingei International Museum (2005), published Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll, p. 76. Small-scale gosho-ningyo such as this, often referred to a good-luck prayer dolls (gofukunoinori-ningyo), were popular gifts to convey auspicious wishes. Ryujin was considered a particularly powerful god, and his daughter, Otohime, is part of the Urashima-taro legend and also considered the mother of Japan's first emperor, Jimmu Ten'no.