Kokeshi "The Spirit of Wheat" by Kishi Sadao circa 1970

Kokeshi doll - wood turned varnished and engraved - japan circa 1970. Master kishi sadao 1932-1998. Named "seishin no komugi" (spirit of wheat) this doll won the prestigious prime minister's award in 1968. This artist contributed to the recognition of kokeshi as a popular art form. He celebrated nature and its connection to everyday life. A certificate will be issued. History of kokeshis: originally, were made from wood falls by peasants in winter and sold to the people of the city. So they have the appearance of bowling. They were toys for girls, or offered as a token of love or friendship; symbolize the desire to have a child. The doll comes from a shinto communion with nature (forest / wood / landscape). Shinto places links between landscapes and feminine forms. They are, modesty, discretion, femininity, feminine ideal. A double category appears around 1950: traditional kokeshi (dento) and creative kokeshi (sosaku), free of forms and décor. Symbol of lost childhood, they now evolve with the worlds manga and kawaii, there are a hundred variants.

Ref. : VYFPEQA1