Carved Kokeshi by USABURO Signed Zelkova Wood Japan Large 2.7lb 9.3"

Description: Thank you for looking. Please visit my other listings of contemporary and antique Japanese art. Girl with Flowers (large: ~27 cm) carved kokeshi figurine by Okamoto Usaburo. Zelkova wood. Gunma Prefecture, Japan, circa the 1980s. Signed; bears the official Usaburo stamp. This kokeshi represents the hih "artistic" end of Usaburo works and stands out by its exceptionally beautiful wood grain and elaborate design and craftsmanship. The girl's long black hair is artfully carved and the outer lines of the flowers and elements of the kimono are carefully hand burned with a roasting trowel. The masterful varnishing brings out the natural beauty of the wood. This massive, heavy, gorgeous kokeshi doll conveys the warmth of the wood and artistic perfection that can only be fully experienced by holding it in one's hands! Height: approximately 24 cm Head diameter: approximately 10.5 cm Weight: 1,224 g About Usaburo Kokeshi Usaburo is a highly regarded artist family from Japan's Gunma Prefecture, the top producing area of kokeshi in Japan. Kokeshi made in Gunma is called sosaku (or “creative” or "modern") kokeshi, and is differentiated from dento (“traditional”) kokeshi produced in the Tohoku district in northeastern Honshu. Creative kokeshi is characterized by freedom from the conventional shapes of traditional kokeshi with a round head. Sosaku kokeshi often depict little girls with bobbed hair. Usaburo Kokeshi has grown to become an important kokeshi art atelier in Japan famous for its artful, stylish designs and the impeccable quality of its kokeshi. Usaburo Okamoto (1917-2009), the founder of Usaburo Kokeshi, was born in Shinto Village, Gunma Prefecture in 1917. After making handicrafts with artificial stones and metals, he started making kokeshi dolls in 1950. Soon, in addition to painting with a brush, which was the mainstream at the time, he created three-dimensional expression techniques, such as engraving and pottery painting, creating the prototype of Usaburo Kokeshi that continues to this day. The basic designs of kokeshi developed by Master Usaburo feature this bobbed hair and a plump round body. The simple lines of his kokeshi meant to represent the somewhat archaic beauty of the Orient. He devoted himself to research on how to prevent wood from cracking, and succeeded in incorporating wood that was typically considered unsuitable for processing into kokeshi dolls. Usaburo's representative work "Kan-Tsubaki", which features his favorite camellia flowers on Zelkova with beautiful wood grain, was given the honor of being purchased by Emperor Showa. Usaburo combines machine techniques, artistic handwork and symbolism to produce captivating, inspiring kokeshi characters. K333

Price: 195 USD

Location: New York, New York

End Time: 2024-11-24T19:04:04.000Z

Shipping Cost: 19.95 USD