Kokeshi, Shôwa period,

This Showa-period kokeshi print locates the traditional folk doll within the broader cultural revival of folk crafts that characterized postwar Japan. Kawano's rendering gives the doll a presence that transcends its humble origins — the bold outline and flat color fields of the sosaku-hanga approach lending the small object a monumental quality. The print reflects his sustained interest in everyday objects as worthy subjects for serious artistic attention.