CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Figure
Fisherman, um 1900
About the object
The wooden sculpture painted in colour portrays a Japanese fisherman carrying his catch using a shoulder pole with two baskets suspended from it. The figure was created by a specialist artist and belongs to the type of »living doll« artefacts, which were very popular in Japan in the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century.
The wooden sculpture has an extremely naturalistic appearance on account of the detailed reproduction of the muscles, the insetting of hair and body hair using wig-making techniques and the expressive facial features. The sculpture depicts a naked fisherman apart from his loincloth carrying his catch (three fish and six mussels) to the market. The figure belongs to the complex of iki ningyo or »living dolls«, which were very popular in Japan in the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century and were made by specialised artists. Usually grouped into scenes, they were displayed at exhibitions within large dioramas, which were something of a mass attraction during that period. The figure was donated by the Freiburg pathologist and hygienist, Max Schottelius, who was interested in scientific exchange with Japanese colleagues. Author: Eva Gerhards, Translation: Timothy Connell