Palace Doll  Child Riding a Turtle

Kansei era (1789–1801) Donated by Saitō Shōji

This piece is unique in that it is a little plumper and more rustic than typical palace dolls. It also has a particularly large head, suggesting that it is a prototype of palace dolls, which at the time were sometimes referred to as ‘zudai ningyō’ or ‘large-headed dolls.’