Ningyo (9780804860567)

Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll features over 250 unique photographs as well as extensive commentary and background history.

Japanese dolls (ningyo) have played an important role in Japanese art and culture since its earliest stages of development, as talismanic figures, festival centerpieces, medical study tools, theater props, decorative objects, childhood playthings, and avidly collected art forms. Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll is the most comprehensive book on antique Japanese dolls and figurines published in English. The book focuses on the many types of Japanese dolls:

• gosho: palace dolls
• hina: Girl's Day dolls
• musha: warrior dolls for the Boy's Day Festival
• isho: fashion dolls

The principal forms of the dolls and their history, stylistic development, cultural context, and economic imperatives are discussed against the backdrop of Edo-period society and popular culture. Beautifully detailed color photographs of ningyo drawn from private collections—many published here for the first time—along with related materials selected from celebrated museums and temple collections, such as folding screens, woodblock prints, sculpture, painting, ceramics, and textiles, help place the dolls in their cultural context.

Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll is a fascinating book for anyone interested in Asian doll art and doll collecting.


About the Author:
Alan Pate has been appointed guest curator for an exhibition on Japanese dolls at the Mingei International Museum.

Lynton Gardiner is a professional photographer based in New York, specializing in museum work. He has photographed for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was the principal photographer for catalogs published by the Mingei International Museum. His photographs have appeared in several art books.