Dancing Doll - Master Shido Shozan 1932–1995 - Japan

This is the “Osono” model by Master Shido Shozan (1932–95)
Circa 1960 – Studio seal – Height 41 cm -
“Osono” is inspired by a famous dancer: Sono Osato (1919–2018), born in Nebraska to a Japanese father, was a dancer and actress. She danced with the Ballets Russes de
Monte Carlo and the American Ballet Theatre. As an actress, she appeared alongside Frank Sinatra—her career was interrupted by the Japanese internment policy of 1941.
Elegant and slender, she wears a striking green and gold obi. The obi is characteristic of the postwar era: geometric patterns referencing traditional designs.
Shido loved combining different types of wood to create dolls whose texture evokes trees. He sought modesty and humility. The dancer hides her small face behind a kimono flap. The Japanese gauge their behavior by reading the expressions in others’ eyes. Thus, the doll conveys her serenity through this tiny face and her fluid lines.
His works are on display at the Nuremberg Toy Museum.
A certificate and an illustrated biography of the artist will be provided to the purchaser;