Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi by Watanabe Masao, 'Chigozakura - Cherry Blossom Child', Japan.

Legendary Sosaku Kokeshi, 'Chigozakura' (= Cherry Blossom Child) by Watanabe Masao.

Dimensions: height 30 cm, diameter 9 cm. Signed by the artist at the bottom.

Watanabe-san was born in Fukushima in 1917. He lived in the United States for a while, where he and his family were held in internment camps during World War II. Upon returning to Japan, he began producing kokeshi in the 1950s and initially studied traditional Yajirou kokeshi under Master Sato Tatsuo. Later in his career, he transitioned to creating sosaku kokeshi and reportedly became the most productive and successful creative kokeshi artist of the 20th century. His dolls are exhibited in museums worldwide, and he was awarded the title of 'national master craftsman' in 1987. He passed away in 2007.