The Tale of the Peony Lantern
Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:
A long time ago, a man saw a beautiful woman strolling past his house, her maid carrying a peony lantern. Every night, in the light of the lantern carried by the maid, the young woman named Otsuyu joined him - then stayed every night from nightfall until dawn. The man's neighbour, worried about no longer seeing him around, decided to visit him one evening, curious about these mysterious visitors that passed in front of his house each night. Peeping through the bedroom door, he was startled to find the man entwined in the arms of a skeleton. He immediately alerted a Buddhist priest, who convinced the lovestruck man that he was in great danger and placed a protective charm around the house. Unable to enter, Otsuyu and her maid came to the door every night crying. The lovesick man became unwell, pining for his lost love, and one night in desperation he removed the charm and let the women back into his house. The next day he was found dead, his face a radiant smile, his soul taken to the world of the dead where he would forever be with his beloved Otsuyu.
The story came to Japan in a book of Chinese ghost stories in the 17th century and was adapted by Ryoi Asai in 1666, setting the story in the Nezu district of Tokyo. There are lots of versions of the story, including the Yamamoto Satsuo 1968 film Botan Dōrō, and a kabuki play.
My wood girl shows the beautiful woman and the peony lantern on one side, but turn her around and you see the truth...
Turned from yellow poplar, my pieces are turned on a lathe by a production wood turner in the UK to my designs, then painted by me, a British artist. She has been hand painted and finished in a semi-matt acrylic protective top coat.
This tall girl is approximately 25cm in height. Painted with a bear head on the base and the title of the piece.
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.
