This shingata kokeshi by Chuji Kudo 工藤忠二 (1922–2011) presents a refined fusion of Naruko tradition and postwar artistic innovation.
The doll features a smoothly rounded head with a gentle, composed expression. The face is delicately painted with fine arched brows, almond-shaped eyes, and a small red mouth, conveying a quiet elegance. The hair is rendered in a soft, stylized black coiffure with a subtle central highlight, giving the figure a modernized yet harmonious appearance.
The slender cylindrical body is strikingly decorated with alternating bands of deep black and vivid red, creating a bold horizontal rhythm. Over these bands, abstracted floral or seed-like motifs are applied in pale, natural wood tones, offering a pleasing contrast against the darker background. The design balances repetition and asymmetry, reflecting the aesthetic sensibilities of shingata kokeshi, where traditional forms are reinterpreted with more graphic and contemporary ornamentation.
Born on June 19, 1922, Chuji Kudo trained from a young age under Okazaki Seikichi in Naruko, working alongside notable craftsmen of his generation. His early career was shaped by wartime production, focusing on utilitarian wooden items rather than kokeshi. It was only after the war, particularly from the 1950s onward, that he returned to woodturning as new creative styles gained popularity. By the early 1960s, during the revival of traditional kokeshi, Kudo began painting dolls more actively, eventually establishing his own workshop in Kaminaruko around 1972.
Size: 6 x 6 x 18cm
