Ningyo - Alan Scott Pate

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      Karakuri gosho tend to be simple in their mechanisms and intent. The arms, joined through a hollow body and attached to a small turn lever that is exposed on the back, allow the figure to raise and lower whatever object is held in its hand. If the arms rise together, then typically a mask is attached, whether of a god such as Daikoku, or Okame, or of another image. When a mask is employed, these figures are called menkaburi gosho and were a specialty of Kyoto ningyō makers. The raising of the mask to the face "transforms" the gosho into the character depicted by the mask, much as a Noh actor becomes a deity through the mask he wears in a performance. Alternative mechanisms have the arms rising and lowering independently, at which point a suzu rattle may be inserted for a depiction of Sambasō, or a hand-held shishi-mai mask and peonies for a depiction of Shakkyō.

      In order to accommodate the mechanism, most karakuri gosho are executed in papier-mâché as opposed to solid wood. Called hariko gosho, these forms are lighter and enabled the craftsman to install more elaborate mechanisms for the karakuri element than a solid wood form would have afforded. The number and variety of extant examples indicates that these forms were quite popular during the Edo period.

      The example on pages 36 and 37 is in a classic seated pose with legs stretched out in front. His head is very large with narrow eyes, and a small incised line to help delineate the chin. Silk fiber hair extends in two side locks tied with small ribbons close to his temples. Strapped to his head by chirimen tie cords, and partially covering his forelock bearing a mizuhiki (presentation ribbon design) is a small eboshi-style cap done in a green silk brocade with kinran elements that matches his haragake bib. Over his bib he wears a sleeveless coat embellished with satin stitch embroidered blossoms that hides the seams where his movable arms are joined at the corners. His two hands hold the strings which pull the mask to his face. In relation to other gosho-ningyō, the face of this particular figure has certain distinctive characteristics. Although the figure is of nineteenth-century origin, the eye shape is similar to that found most commonly on earlier pieces, narrow and attenuated with both the top and bottom lid rising and falling in a parallel arc. The wide spacing of the eyes, combined with the relatively compact structure of the face, is almost identical to a number of other karakuri gosho examples found in both US and Japanese collections, suggesting a common maker. The kitsune mask itself is made of papier mâché, with sharply pointed ears with rounded outside edges.

      The fox Genkuro disguised as Tadanobu in the play Yoshitsune senbon zakura (Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees),

       Katsukawa Shunsho (1726-92), woodblock print, ink and color on paper, 1774, 13 x 6 inches.

       Anne Van Biema Collection,

       Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

      Karakuri gosho-ningyō with Okame mask

       Edo period, 19th century

       Height 12 inches

       Ayervais Collection

      Karakuri Gosho-ningyō with Okame Mask

      One of the earliest foundation legends dealing with Japans Age of the Gods describes how Amaterasu, the sun goddess, distressed at her brother's behavior, hid herself in a cave, taking the sunlight with her. The other gods became anxious as days passed with no light and they began to fear that she might never come out and the world would remain in darkness. One by one they cajoled, berated, begged, and pleaded for her to emerge, but all to no avail. Then the goddess Ama no Uzume began a ribald and humorous dance in front of the cave, much to the delight and merriment of the other gods. Curious as to what could be causing the laughter after so many days of haranguing, Amaterasu peered out from the mouth of the cave, and seeing Ama no Uzume's outrageous performance emerged laughing from the cave, thus restoring light to this world and securing Ama no Uzume's place in Japanese culture.

      On a religious level, this event is said to be the prototype for all sacred shrine dances done in offering to the kami. Culturally, Ama no Uzume is credited with the invention of the flute and the koto (zither). Although her name literally means "terrible female of heaven," due to her dance and the laughter she provoked from the gods, she subsequently became known as the Goddess of Mirth. She is known more popularly by the name Okame (tortoise) or Otafuku (great fortune). Her lovable face, with its large, protruding cheeks and small features is immediately recognizable, and appears in many art and cultural forms.

      Okame appears frequently in ningyō form. Clay ningyō of Okame often depict her kneeling in long robes, her hands clasped together in her lap, apparently chaste and demure. But when the figure is turned upside down, she is revealed to be wearing nothing underneath. Within the Hina-matsuri, the face of Okame is sometimes found on one of the sari ran banjo (three ladies-in-waiting), adding an element of whimsy to the setting. Here, she appears in karakuri gosho form. The seated, and ironically, male figure holds the strings to the Okame mask. The simple turn handle in back raises the mask, transforming the young boy into the ribald Goddess of Mirth. The mask itself is crafted of papier mâché and covered in layers of a highly burnished gofun. Her teeth are blackened as a beauty mark and her shaved eyebrows are replaced with high painted smudges referred to as okimayu ("skybrows"), another beauty mark dating to the Heian period. The gosho-ningyō is also entirely crafted of papier mâché, covered in bright white gofun with painted features and silk fiber hair. In keeping with karakuri gosho construction techniques, the figure is completely hollow. He wears a green silk haragake bib decorated with kinran designs as well as a lightly embroidered red chirimen sleeveless vest.

      Mitate gosho-ningyō

       Meiji period, early 20th century

       Height 19 inches

       Prince Collection

      Mitate Gosho-ningyō: Ebisu, the God of Daily Provision

      The ever-expanding popularity of gosho-ningyō over the course of the Edo period led artists to continually attempt new variations on established themes and discover fresh avenues of expression. During the late eighteenth century, the tradition of pairing gosho-ningyō with specific, frequently auspicious, symbols or attributes evolved into the mitate gosho form. Mitate, as noted earlier, can be translated as "parody" or "imitation." Images of gosho-ningyō holding objects closely associated with characters drawn from Japanese history legend, literature, or theater, became mitate-ningyō (parody dolls) of those individuals or characters. This development paved the way for artists to take on any number of themes drawn from Japan's rich cultural, religious, and historical traditions.

      The Shichifukujin (Seven Gods of Good Fortune) were a popular subject for ningyō in all forms. A mixture of Buddhist, Hindu, Shintō, Taoist, and locally derived gods, the seven consisted of Bishamon, a martial figure considered the God of Prosperity; Ebisu, the God of Daily Food or Provision; Jurojin, the God of Wisdom; Benzaiten, the sole female in the pantheon, the Goddess of the Arts; Daikoku, the God of Wealth; Fukurokuju, the God of Longevity, and Hotei, the God of Mirth and Happiness. Combining the power attributed to these gods to help and augment the quality of everyday life with the beauty and desirability of the gosho form, mitate gosho depicting individual members of the seven gods or even groups were especially popular during the Edo period.

      Ebisu, the God of Daily Provision, symbolized by the giant sea bream he carried or dangled from his fishing pole, was particularly popular. As a local divinity of non-Buddhist origin, Ebisu appealed to all segments of society. Ebisu worship was traditionally centered on Nishinomiya Shrine in Osaka. Itinerant puppet performers connected with this shrine, called kugutsu or Ebisu-haki, traveled throughout Japan giving special house-blessing performances with puppets said to represent the god of Nishinomiya, Ebisu. On a popular level, when paired with Daikoku, the God of Daily Wealth, Ebisu was one of the "kitchen deities" and was considered an important protector/provider for the home. Sculptural representations of these two gods would

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