Blog: Conservation of a 'living doll'
Iki ningyo or 'living doll' wearing a full suit of armour, Japan, 19th century. Museum no. M.55-1922
Iki ningyo (literally 'living dolls') are Japanese life-size figures that were made to look like as realistic as possible. Popular in 19th century Japan, they were often displayed both individually and in tableaux, frequently depicting events from history and legend. They were also extremely popular at international exhibitions where they were displayed as genre scenes.
Matsumoto Kisaburo (1826-1892) and Yasumoto Kamehachi (1828-1900) are considered masters of the form, and produced figures that were so realistic they were said to be difficult to differentiate from humans.
The V&A owns three such figures, two wearing full samurai armour and a third female figure kneeling in a palanquin. The conservation of the iki ningyo wearing a full suit of armour, dating from the 19th century is described in this blog.
Follow our Textile Conservator Sarah Glenn as she works on the conservation of the Japanese iki ningyo (living doll).
Read Sarah Glenn's conservation blog
Links
Alan Scott Pate describes iki ningyo in detail
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National Diet Library Tokyo - article on woodcuts showing iki ningyo diplays
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Harvard Journal of Asiatic studies article on The Carnival of Edo
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The real Hananuma Masakichi?
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Kate Moss Paper Doll
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Buy nowEvent - What lies beneath: Peering up the skirts of 18th and 19th Century dress
Mon 08 April 2013 13:00
FREE TALK: Enjoy a brief talk on the conservation and mounting of an 18th-century Mantua and 19th-century underwear.
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