Passed
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Description
12" (30 cm.) The Wakagime-Himegime mitsuore gosho-ningyo (prince and princess triple-jointed dolls) pair are of wood construction covered overall in a fine white gofun, each with rounded faces with painted details, real hair ranged in a looped chigowa style for the girl, and he a chasen mage tea whisk style arrangement, with flat-jointed articulation at hips, knees and ankles. She is wearing a chirimen silk crepe uchikake outer kimono with padded him and subtle embroidered details, with a purple silk obi tie belt; and he with a formal kamishimo broad shouldered vest with purple hakama and a black silk under kimono. Kimono of boy very worn, losses of hair on girl. Edo Period, 19th century. Exhibited Japan Society (1996). Published in Ningyo: The Art of the Human Figure, p. 87. Within Edo society the upper echelons of the samurai class (buke) constituted its own noble class apart from the imperial nobility (kuge). Their customs and costuming were distinctive. Their hairstyles and clothing indicates that this pair represent the nobility of the samurai class rather than imperial nobility.