Ningyo - Alan Scott Pate

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his attribute, but stands proudly with his right foot forward and his right hand slightly raised as if pointing to the sky. His left hand is clenched as if holding something. He is clothed in a loosely fitting red chirimen kimono with full, open sleeves, wrapped at the waist, with a faded red inner lining. Kirihata Ken, former textile curator at the Kyoto National Museum, has written eloquently of the dramatic combination of the thick black hair, the brilliant white of the gofun, and the vibrant red of the textiles as forming a fundamental ningyō aesthetic. Such a dramatic counter-positioning of colors was seen as particularly auspicious (kisshō) and added to the overall gift-giving aspect that was inherent in the gosho form.

      Gosho-ningyō: Daimyō Youth

      Yanagisawa Nobutoki (1724-92) was a daimyō from Koriyama fief in Yamato Prefecture who, following his retirement, spent extended periods of time in Edo. Yanagisawa is noted for his remarkably detailed diary, the En'yū nikki (Diary of Banquets and Amusements), recording his daily life in Edo. Through his writings we can follow his trips to various spots in Edo, solo or accompanied by his wife and children, giving us a rare first-hand glimpse of Edo life during the late eighteenth century as well as insights into the interests and activities of a retired daimyō. In addition to his passion for wood-block prints, Yanagisawa was also a ningyō enthusiast, frequenting the doll markets along Nihonbashi Street, known as the Jukken-dana. An avid supporter of the hina-ningyō artist Hara Shūgetsu 1, Yanagisawa was known to have purchased a number of pieces between 1782 and 1784. Some of the pieces appear to have been purchased for his own family's use and enjoyment; others were gifts. His comments regarding his activities at the Jukkendana, though brief, are one of the few explicit records regarding direct patronage by daimyō of Edo ningyō makers and retailers.

      It was good to be a daimyō. Power. Wealth. Prestige. And, with the peace that prevailed during the Edo period came the time and leisure to enjoy all three. Exactly who were the daimyō? A largely hereditary segment of Edo society, they were descended from hardened warriors who had, through military prowess, managed to obtain and hold on to land, power, and respect during periods of war and intense social upheaval. Although not a few had risen from the ranks of impoverished farmers, lowly retainers, or even merchants, they represented a nobility of sorts and exercised a significant economic and cultural force during the Edo period. By definition, daimyō were feudal lords commanding domains worth more than 10,000 koku (one koku was approximately equal to five bushels of rice) in annual production. During the Edo period, there were approximately 250 such lords. As a group, they represented the elite of the military class (buke). Ultimately subject to the whims of the shōgun, the daimyō of the Edo period occupied their station not only through the accumulated gains of military conflict and the spoils of war, but also by dint of the pleasure of the shōgun who had the authority to confiscate lands and reshuffle the deck.

      Although much attention has been paid to the rise of the merchant class during the Edo period as a principal economic locomotive, the daimyō, with their patterns of conspicuous consumption dictated by both social and political realities as well as personal tastes and predilections, also influenced both economic and cultural trends. With the establishment of peace, the success of a daimyō and his domain came not through the ability to muster arms and take to the battlefield, but through the ability to administer his domains judiciously and navigate the corridors of power effectively within the new political structure established by the Tokugawa shōguns. The hallmark martial ruthlessness had to be tempered by other more mundane skills, political savvy and the ability to effectively wield the cultural symbols of the day.

      Like the imperial aristocracy (kuge), the military houses (buke) and the daimyō, in particular, used the material objects of culture to lend authority to their station. Like the courtier nobility in a previous age, the daimyō set the tone and standards in many artistic fields. It was through their patronage that the great painting schools of the Kano and Tosa came into existence, establishing acceptable themes and manners of depiction that greatly shaped the visual culture of Edo-period Japan. The selection of subject matter depicted in folding screens and hanging scrolls; the choice of architectural styles employed in the construction of the daimyō residences in Edo, Kyoto, as well as their home territories; the practice of Noh and the tea ceremony; the use of finery in daily life, including gold and silver metal work and beautifully wrought lacquer pieces; the connoisseurship of Chinese ceramics, or the ability to compose poetry, were not only cultural pursuits, they were also status declarations and indicators of legitimacy Daimyo culture has long been noted for its opulence, artistic refinement, and sophistication. Their tastes and their preferred visual vocabulary influenced many of the decorative arts of Edo Japan.

      The connection between daimyō culture and ningyō was particularly close. Gosho-ningyō, initially the preserve of the imperial and noble classes, first came to the attention of a wider audience through their use as gifts by the emperor to visiting daimyō, who in turn embraced them as their own. Wakagimi-himegimi (prince and princess dolls) depict youth from the warrior houses. Nō-ningyō also found their most receptive audience among the samurai elite who were the most avid supporters of Noh, delighting in the depiction of characters and scenes from this high theater form far removed from the more burlesque elements of Kabuki. Uizan-ningyō were gift dolls given by daimyō to Noh and kyōgen entertainers performing for the first time, mimicking in some ways the gosho-ningyō which the daimyō received on their visits to the emperor. The hina-ningyō of Girl's Day also played an important role in the annual round of festivals within the court-like settings of their private lives, marked by the creation of particularly luxurious sets with extensive accessories (dōgu). Daimyo such as Yanagisawa Nobutoki were known to frequent the hina market in Edo, commissioning large sets and quickly embracing the newest developments. The musha-ningyō of Boy's Day were also an important part of the ningyō culture surrounding the daimyō and buke classes, with these martial figures designed to portray the very values and standards of conduct for which the daimyō and samurai stood.

      Gosho-ningyō: Daimyo youth

       Edo period, late 18th century

       Height 19 inches

       Author's Collection

      Ningyō made for the daimyō of the Edo period, regardless of category, are usually characterized by a particularly high level of quality in all of their aspects. In terms of carving, textiles, and often scale, they are exceptional works of art befitting this class of consumer. Because of this reputation for high quality, it is common among collectors in Japan to refer to certain exceptional pieces as simply daimyō-mono (daimyō objects). Given the market mechanisms in Japan today, it is a rare exception that the specific provenance of a piece dating directly back to the Edo period is known, directly linking a specific ningyō with a specific daimyō or daimyō family. Rather than a term denoting verifiable origins, daimyō-mono must be seen as a qualitative term referring to works of particularly fine craftsmanship and artistry.

      The standing gosho-ningyō example shown here of a buke youth is a superlative example of what is considered daimyō-mono. The figure is clothed in an extraordinarily rich osode (open-sleeved) kimono of a light blue green silk with a striking purple bamboo and plum blossom design and a thickly padded hem. Over this he sports a sleeveless outer coat with a ruffled chirimen (silk crepe) fringe and lining featuring a double butterfly and floral motif of plum and peony blossoms executed in subdued reds and greens on a brown silk ground. The front is held closed with a thick twisted silk and gold metallic thread cord. Two swords, symbolic of his status as a samurai, are tucked into the kinran brocade obi. The figure itself stands a respectable nineteen inches high and is constructed of wood covered in a finely burnished gofun. The upper arms are of padded fabric covering a flexible metal rod, allowing the arms to be moved. The hands are well articulated, with the right hand in a loosely closed fist as if holding an object and the left hand open, but both are hidden deep within the billowing folds of the kimono. It is a sexed figure. His hair is made out of human hair as opposed to silk fiber, with front bangs and a bald nakasori on top of his head, indicative of his youthful age. Somewhat unusually, the hair is cut out around the ears revealing well-carved lobes. When the figure is viewed from directly

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