Chochin-Obake Girl

Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:

This chunky wood girl has dressed herself up as a torn paper lantern ghost in time for the spooky season.

A chōchin obake is a ghostly creature, formed after an old paper lantern develops a rip. These are frightening creatures almost solely found in yōkai illustrations rather than in legend - the tear in the paper can turn into a mouth from which a large tongue protrudes and they commonly have two eyes rather than one like the torn umbrella yōkai. As the lanterns when lit in the dark appear to be floating, you can see how easily this might translate into ghostly form.

The lantern girl version comes complete with a metal hanging fitting - so she can be hung up if desired.

This wood girl is approximately 15.5cm in height (17.5cm with extended hanging ring).

My pieces are painted in a naïve and simple style, with visible brush strokes and differing paint consistencies. It is important to note that these dolls are made from real wood which will have naturally occurring markings and grain, and sometimes there will be small amount of bleeding along the grain, or knots, which is to be expected when using untreated wood - please make sure you consult the pictures carefully before purchasing.

Please note: THIS IS NOT A TOY and should be kept out of the reach of children. Wood girls should be kept away from water which can damage the wood and painted surface, and also away from direct heat/ sunlight which also can affect the surface colour and the timber itself.