Roman Szlucha, Ningyō, 1950s, Oil on Cardboard, Framed

A unique still life in an oriental, Japanese style. Thanks to the presented motives, incl. the famous Japanese doll, the painting will surely appeal to fans of the Far East subject. The doll was placed between two plates. The whole is presented on a blue, pleated material. Dark olive, neutral background.

The author of the work is Roman Szlucha (1890-1963). In the years 1906-1912 he studied at the Jagiellonian University. He studied painting privately. He completed his education in France.

The main "protagonist" of the work is a Japanese porcelain figurine, also called ningyō. The original name of the dolls takes different configurations, depending on the type of show. The first ningyō dolls (Japanese doll, puppet) were created in Japan in the 17th century thanks to contacts with Europeans who introduced them to the technique of spontaneous movement of machines (e.g. a watch). Soon, the Japanese became very skilled in constructing clever mechanical devices, among which the leaders were dolls, moving with cogwheels, hammers, etc., carefully hidden under reduced clothing covering them.

Japanese dolls played the greatest role in the works of Young Poland artists. The fashion for them, common in Europe, in Krakow was popularized by Manggha Jasieński after moving his collection from Warsaw. In 2012, the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology organized the exhibition Still Life with a Japanese Doll, drawing attention to the widespread use of this prop among painters at the beginning of the 20th century.

Signed and dated in the lower left corner. ZPAP label on the back