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A KAKIEMON FIGURE OF A BIJIN.
Late 17th Century.
She stands and smiling with her right hand gently pressed to her side, her kimono decorated in iron-red, blue, green and yellow enamels with poinsettia-like flowers, her under-robe painted with maple leaves and clouds pattern, the hair and obi in black enamel, 39.4cm H.
柿右衛門様式女人形
The Kakiemon figure of bijin was said to have been modelled after the famous courtesan Tokuko Yoshino (1606 – 1643) from the Shimabara pleasure district in Kyoto. High-class courtesans of Edo period were socialites, who could play musical instruments, write poems, dance and entertain sophisticated clients including aristocrats and wealthy merchants. Kimono worn by these women reflected their refined tastes and financial status of their customers.
The Dutch East India Company exported the majority of Kakiemon ware produced in the 17th century to Europe, however, a figure of a beauty such as this was also treasured in Japan. The subtle brushwork on the face and varied kimono designs on Kakiemon figures of this type add a unique personality to every piece produced.
The seventeen Century saw a rapid development in both porcelain and textile industries in Japan. This was due to the rising economic power of the merchant class who enjoyed luxury items, and innovative techniques such as overglaze enamel decorations on porcelain, and silk damask weavings were introduced from Chinese specialists who sought refuge in Japan following the fall of the Ming Dynasty. The Kakiemon bijin represents not only mysterious Japanese aesthetic but also complex cultural and social exchanges, which took place in the early Edo period.
Provenance:?collection of Robert William Dudman Archdeacon of Lindsey (1925 – 1984)?thence by descent.
A Kakiemon figure of a bijin.