A Meiji period iki ningyo – or ‘living doll’ – priced at £100,000 from Steve Sly Japanese Art.
This impressive example of a iki ningyo – or ‘living doll’ – is a dramatic Meiji period carving of a battle between a Japanese fisherman and a large octopus.
Measuring 19¼in (49.5 cm) high, the figural group is carved in wood and lacquered. Steve Sly Japanese Art is selling the piece, priced at £100,000, and has traced its provenance back to the pages of Frank Brinkley’s 19th century publication Japan: described and illustrated by the Japanese (1897-98) where it features on a hand-coloured plate.
Iki ningyo artists carved the everyday people and scenes of Japan and were highly skilled in replicating anatomical form in fine detail. Originally life-size, iki ningyo became smaller with the arrival of wealthy tourists and early visitors to Japan who wanted more intricate models of the Japanese going about their daily lives.
