Ningyo - Alan Scott Pate

Скачать книгу

Height 9 inches

       Ayervais Collection

      Although an exact timeline cannot be determined for the transition from Saga to hadaka-Saga to gosho, in broadest terms the seventeenth century belonged to the Saga, its earliest origins perhaps extending into the Keichō era (1596-1615), peaking during the mid- to late 1600s, and finally giving way to the hadaka-Saga in the early 1700s. The hadaka-Saga itself enjoyed a much shorter reign of popularity, fading in favor of the more classic gosho by the middle of the century The gosho form continues to be popular to this day, and in many respects is emblematic of the whole of Japanese ningyō, possessing an indefinable quality that continues to attract and compel some 300 years after their maturation.

      The hadaka-Saga illustrated above is a delightful example, with classically long, attenuated legs and arms. His face is turned slightly upwards, gazing back at the viewer. His position is unusual, with his legs drawn up and his left arm resting on his knee as his hands point inward. In marked contrast to the Saga-ningyō, he is clothed only in a simple bib with kinran (gold-backed paper thread brocade) decorations of flowers. The belt and border are executed in chirimen (silk crepe). The minimal bib allows us to enjoy the brilliant white of the gofun covering his entire body. He is a sexed figure, indicating a tradition which was to continue in later periods, even after gosho forms began to be depicted fully clothed.

      Haihai Gosho-ningyō

      The aesthetic appeal elicited by children is referred to as way obi. It was strongly rooted in Heian-period literature where authors such as Lady Murasaki and Sei Shōnagon make frequent comment on the beauty of young children. Sei Shōnagon (b. 965) in her tenth-century memoir Makura no sōshi (The Pillow Book) spoke of many personal things, her likes and dislikes, and objects that evoked specific moods, both positive and negative. Frequently, they were recorded in the form of lists (monozukushi), such as "Depressing Things," "Things That Make One's Heart Beat Faster," or "Things That Cannot Be Compared." In a section entitled "Adorable Things," she praises the beauty created when "an extremely plump baby, who is about a year old, and has lovely white skin, comes crawling towards one, dressed in a long gauze robe of violet with the sleeves tucked up." Edo society, with its social turmoil, looked backed to the Heian period in a romanticized way, and the aesthetics expressed by Shōnagon and others seemed to have a strong resonance. Passages such as this appear to have been the ningyō artists' recipe book for the figures they created.

      The form of the haihai (crawling baby) itself appears to have been drawn from the earlier form called the hōko. These were simple stuffed silk figures with a rudimentary face and attached real or silk fiber hair. Made to coincide with the birth of a new child, they were seen as protective talismans and kept close to the children, absorbing evil influences. One theory, promoted by Yamada Tokubei in his Nihon ningyō shi (History of Japanese Dolls) is that the auspicious and beneficial aspects of the hōko led them to be given as gifts, resulting in an increased sophistication of the form, moving from largely abstract to a more realistic depiction of a young, crawling baby. This theory posits the haihai as the original gosho from which all other gosho forms developed.

      Hōko-ningyō, from Amagatsu otogihōko tsutsumamori ekitori, Hinuki Hachizaemon (fl. ca. 1821), Bunka 7 (1810), hand copy of a 17th-century

       manuscript, 6 1/2 x 11 inches.

       Author's Collection

      Haihai gosho-ningyō

       Edo period, 19th century

       Length 5 inches

       Ayervais Collection

      Regardless of their origins, the haihai, like other gosho forms, were a popular and important gift within the Edo period. Court documents from the late Edo period indicate that haihai were given as gifts to young children both at New Year as well on their first festival (hatsu-sekku). Like hōko, they were frequently carried along in palanquins while traveling, to serve as a protective force. At home, they were often included in the Hina-matsuri display.

      Like many ningyō forms, the popularity of the haihai led to a wide variety of shapes, all based on the simple theme of a crawling baby. Some wear the trailing silks described by Sei Shōnagon, others only a simple bib. They are found crafted of wood, papier mâché, as well as clay. Some are quite small, only an inch or two in length, although other examples can approach life size.

      The figure shown on page 24, though small, is exceptionally well made. Clothed in a long red chirimen robe, his entire body, though fully rendered, is invisible to the viewer, with only the head peering out from the folds of his silk robe and bib. A small patch of velvet is placed at the top of his head, illustrating a young baby's hairstyle, and two small dots of sumi ink on his forehead symbolize the okimayu ("skybrows") of the aristocratic classes. A small pouch called a mamori-bukuro that traditionally would have contained a small amulet for a baby's protection is also part of the outfit.

      Seated Gosho-ningyō with Battle Fan

      Murasaki Shikibu, in Genji monogatari, makes the following observation: "The wood-carver can fashion whatever he will. Yet his products are but toys of the moment, to be glanced at in jest, not fashioned to any precept or law. When times change, the carver too will change his style and make new trifles to hit the fancy of the passing day. But there is another kind of artist, who sets more soberly about his work striving to give beauty to the things which men actually use and to give to them shapes which tradition has ordained. The maker of real things must not for a moment be confused with the carver of idle toys."

      In the Western tradition, dolls are largely considered "idle toys," frivolous objects to be enjoyed only momentarily Within the Japanese tradition, ningyō often carry a far greater weight of tradition and purpose. Forms developed centuries ago, vested with meaning and in many cases specific function, continue to be made in much the same way, possessing much the same form. In the Japanese sense, they are "real things."

      Early in their development, gosho-ningyō fulfilled a very specific function. Visiting daimyō to the imperial court were required by custom to bring gifts of tribute. Rather than physically presenting these individual objects in person, a catalog or listing of these gifts, called a mokuroku, was delivered instead and, in exchange, ningyō were frequently given as gifts of recognition and gratitude. The forms of these ningyō were codified as well: they almost invariably depicted seated or kneeling boys of approximately three years of age, with full, rounded faces and fat arms, legs, and belly They wore either a simple bib, or in more sophisticated forms were clothed in rich and luxurious textiles. Their hair was either real human hair, composed of silk fiber, or simply painted. An auspicious object was either held at their side fashioned as an integral part of the figure, or held separately in the hands. The giving of these gosho-ningyō was not only meant as a gesture of gratitude but intended to convey good wishes upon the recipient, the attribute held giving an indication of the nature of those good wishes: longevity, health, fertility, success for a son, martial prowess, etc. The paired attributes touched on nearly all aspects of society: spiritual beliefs, toys, sports, animals, seasonal festivals, Noh subjects, and commercial products, to name but a few.

      Referred to as gosho since only the early part of the twentieth century, this ningyō form has been known by many names over the two and a half centuries it has been produced: omiyage-ningyō expressing its gift-giving function, hairyō-ningyō or "emperor's gift," ōuchi-ningyō relating to the court environment which first produced it, or onobori-ningyō or "going up" from the ningyō maker to the court. When wearing only a bib, it is also referred to as otsubone-ningyō in reference to court ladies in good standing, and reflecting the popularity of these figures amongst the ladies of the court. The names used also imply that they were popular gifts within the court as well, rather than exclusively gifts for visiting daimyō.

      (Detail)

Скачать книгу