Passed
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Description
10" (25 cm.) The unusual Takeda-style isho-ningyo with head, hands and feet of wood, covered in a fine white gofun with painted details including light blue shadowing around the chin, is posed dramatically with leg thrust out to the left and head twisted to look over left shoulder. Depicting Hisayoshi with his iconic asagi zukin (blue cap) and light blue short coat over rich layers of costuming including blue and black velvet, chirimen silk crepe with supplemental embroidery, plaid silk, all secured by a silk brocade obi with an additional silk sash-style closure, blue wrapped silk leggings and blue feet, and is mounted on a black lacquer stand with a Takeda-style front aperture cloth. Left ankle repaired. Edo Period, 19th century. The combination of clothing makes this figure's identification as Mashiba Hisayoshi fairly certain. In this guise the actor is playing what is known as a waijitsu (young problem solver). Ironically, Mashiba Hisayoshi is a clever convoluted stage name for Toyotomi Hideyoshi (the 16th century warlord). But in the expansive world of Kabuki, this ruthless historic generalissimo is transformed into a softer sympathetic character, and appears more as an otodake (chivalrous commoner) than a fearsome martial figure.