Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi entitled “Kanako - Flower Girl” by Watanabe Masao (1917-2007)

This exquisite vintage Sōsaku (creative) Kokeshi doll, titled “Kanako | Flower Girl”, is a masterwork by one of Japan’s most celebrated and influential modern kokeshi artists, Masao Watanabe (1917-2007).  The doll features a beautifully rounded head carved from wood with a rich, deep reddish-brown grain. Her serene, minimalistic face is framed by carved, petal-like patterns along her hairline, adding a subtle tactile dimension to her gentle expression of closed eyes and a small red mouth. 
The cylindrical body highlights Watanabe’s legendary mastery of texture and depth. The background transitions through a striking black-and-red gradient, which serves as the canvas for a highly detailed, white asanoha (hemp leaf) pattern. This geometric design is rendered with stylized, raised three-dimensional dots that mimic the traditional Japanese Kanako-shibori (tie-dye) technique, famously said to resemble the speckled back of a young fawn. Interspersed across this intricate latticework are beautifully painted, variegated pink roses. These floral motifs are applied with a thick, textured oil-painting technique in a swirling pattern, providing a wonderful contrast between the sharp geometric background and the soft, organic form of the flowers. 
Standing as a testament to mid-century Japanese craftsmanship, this doll beautifully represents Watanabe’s signature themes of innocence, rich natural wood grains, and multi-textured artistry.

Height: 24cm

Weight: 580g 

Please look carefully at the pictures to determine the condition of the kokeshi.