Painted Dolls captures the bright colors and folk-art charm of traditional Japanese ningyo, rendered in Sekino's bold woodblock style. The decorative subject makes this print particularly attractive for display. Values generally range from $200-$600, with the folk-art crossover appeal supporting steady demand.
Traditional Japanese painted dolls — kokeshi, hina, and other ceremonial figures — are assembled in a composition that studies their collectively uncanny expressiveness. Sekino's interest in dolls and puppets runs through multiple print series, finding in these human-shaped objects a condensed form of the same questions about identity, representation, and the gap between face and feeling that animate his portraiture.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Painted Dolls was created by Jun'ichiro Sekino (関野準一郎).
Painted Dolls uses Nishiki-e, Moku-hanga, and Kento, on woodblock print.
Painted Dolls depicts still life and daily life.
