Complete head of ikki ningyō, made of wood covered with gofun — a coating made from oyster shell powder that gives the skin tone its matte, delicate ivory appearance. The blown glass eyes are painted, and the individually implanted horsehair hair emphasizes the striking realism of the face. This head alone measures 27.5 cm in height, 40 cm with its bronze base signed by the Punchinello workshop.

Ikki ningyō, literally living dolls, are Japanese figures of disturbing realism, appearing at the end of the Edo period and highly prized during the Meiji era. They were intended for exhibitions, artisans' showcases, or anatomical and ethnographic demonstrations. Some represented actors, warriors, or popular characters, while others were used to showcase Japanese expertise in realistic sculpture at major world exhibitions.

This man's face, with its penetrating gaze and fine moustache, illustrates the refinement of this tradition: a precise naturalism, animated by a profound humanity. These autonomous heads are extremely rare on the market. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has a very similar ikki ningyō head, probably from the same workshop, attached to a wooden frame and dressed as a samurai.

Collector's item of great ethnographic and artistic interest.

Dimensions:

Head height only: 27.5 cm

Total height with base: 40 cm

Old restorations