An incredible, highly unique 14-inch vintage Sosaku (Creative/Modern) Kokeshi doll completely handcrafted in Japan. Departing from conventional painted floral designs, this master-level art piece features an entirely hand-carved multi-tiered Buddhist pagoda (to) building motif deeply etched into the cylindrical torso. The head showcases masterful relief carving, using recessed contours to sculpt eyebrows, closed eyes, hair strands, and an open whistling or singing mouth.
The base features a beautiful hand-brushed ink artist signature and a stamped red character seal (hanko). This unique, sculptural piece is a stellar display item for collectors seeking rare architectural and relief-carved variations within modern Japanese wood-turning traditions.
KANJI TRANSLATION & ARTISAN INSIGHT
The hand-brushed signature on the base reads: 翠山 作 (Suizan saku / Made by Suizan). The accompanying red hanko seal also mirrors the artist's name: 翠山 (Suizan).
Suizan is the artist name of a highly accomplished and award-winning mid-century master of Sosaku (Creative) kokeshi. Creative kokeshi artists are celebrated for breaking away from rigid regional templates to treat the doll as a canvas for individual sculpture and fine art technique. Suizan’s signature style relies on intricate, raw chisel engraving directly into light hardwoods, paired with deeply expressive, stylized faces that capture a distinct sense of serene whimsy.
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