"Gosho Ningyo Court Dolls and Paintings of the Modern Era,' currently at the Seikado Bunko Art Museum and coinciding with Golden Week, sets out to display the decorative flourishes and innovations of the late 19th century (late Edo and Meiji periods) through to the early 20th century. It was a time when, along with continuity in the traditional arts, there were also clear breaks with convention.
The court dolls on display were made in 1939 by an old master, Oki Heizo the Fifth (1886-1941) in a commission for the founder of the museum, Iwasaki Koyata. Heizo came from a famous line of craftsmen who elevated doll-making to an art form. The procession of 58 figures is led by a flag-bearing boy, followed by others playing musical instruments and singing. Bringing up the rear is a group pulling a takarabune (treasure boat) laden with jewels, gold and rice, and others dancing the rite of pounding rice cakes. Their finery accentuates the auspiciousness of the occasion.
Each doll is carved in an elaborate pattern and colored to give it the appearance of wearing a fine costume and each is marvelously detailed with intricate stylized features. Gosho Ningyo (court dolls) were constructed from dense paulownia wood (kiri), and coated with multiple layers of gofun, a white pigment made from pulverized oyster shells and glue. The end result is a lovely, smooth surface which gives the appearance of beautiful white skin.