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) Seated gosho-ningyō with battle fan
Edo period, 19th century
Height 23 1/2 inches
Ayervais Collection
Gosho-ningyō can also be seen as belonging to a larger court tradition of giving ningyō as gifts for specific and auspicious occasions. The sandai-chigo (see page 265) depicting a young prince wearing his hair in the distinctive binboku or chigowa butterfly knot with two broad looping coils on top of his head, and white hahama trousers with distinctive black "pompom"-like decorations (kikutoji) on the front, were given to young princes when they left their nursemaids and more actively joined their parents in society. On the occasion of a young Noh or kyōgen performer's first appearance at the imperial palace, he received a ningyō depicting a seated musician figure referred to as a uizan-ningyō. Like the gosho, these forms carried auspicious meanings and were treasured as gifts.
The seated figure shown here is particularly fine and impressive. At just over twenty-three and a half inches high, it is exceptionally large for the genre. In keeping with the classic gosho-ningyō form, he is depicted seated with both legs pointed forward in a child-like pose. A small, incised chin accentuates the fullness of his face that is framed by long silk fiber hair. He is clothed in rich silk brocades with a repeated hōō (phoenix) design. On his head rests a tall lacquered eboshi court headdress. In his right hand he holds a Chinese-style battle fan called a gumbai decorated with images of the sun and moon symbolizing the gods of Shintō and Buddhism. Articles such as gumbai, helmets, or folding fans emblazoned with the sun were direct references to the military. In the hands of gosho-ningyō, these articles were designed to convey wishes of military prowess or, as the period progressed and warfare and the warrior ethic became more of a distant memory, evoke nostalgia for the military glory of days gone by.
Seated gosho-ningyō with battle fan
Edo period, 19th century
Height 23 1/2 inches
Ayervais Collection
Seated gosho-ningyō with box
Edo period, late 18th to early 19th century
Height 9 1/2 inches
Rosen Collection
Seated Gosho-ningyō with Box
Ningyō in all of their forms were intensely personal objects. Fashioned as gifts and kept as talismans, they were intimately connected to those who owned them. How individuals actually felt about these figures can only be surmised through their enduring popularity and the fact that these fragile remnants of a bygone day are still available for us to admire today, a strong testament to their cultural and personal importance. The aesthetics they embody and the emotions they were intended to invoke can be gleaned from diaries and commentaries that date back to the tenth century which show that ningyō, even from this early date, were an important part of the personal culture of the Japanese.
Sei Shōnagon, in one of her many diary entries commenting on her daily life, lists in a section entitled "Things That Arouse Fond Memories of the Past" the "objects used during the Display of Dolls (hina asobi)" Hina asobi, which can be literally translated as "playing with dolls," is used here to evoke memories of a happy and carefree youth when time was spent playing house and children arranged dolls based on the life viewed around them. Later, in a particularly long and sensitive list entitled "Adorable Things," she again mentions objects used during hina asobi. Here, she also includes the wonderful visual of a baby, fat and healthy, "crawling rapidly along the ground. With his sharp eyes he catches sight of a tiny object, and picking it up with his pretty little fingers, takes it to show a grown up person."
The essence of gosho-ningyō is their ability to delight the viewer, to capture that aspect
