Mannequin or "male figure of the noble class" made by Kisaburo Matsumoto in 1878 in Japan. During the NMNH 1979 inventory, this mannequin was found unnumbered and was assigned T-7804. According to Chang-Su Houchins, Museum Specialist, Asian Cultural History Program, Dept. of Anthropology, this mannequin "is signed (on the bottom right foot): Matsumoto Kisaburo (or Yoshisaburo) w/kao (signature): and this is probably the maker's name". According to Ms. Houchins, T-7804 "may belong to the Capron collection (Acc. No. 7352), possibly catalog number 92427." (Feb. 1998). Note: Exhibit mounts (from loan to Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto) stored with object.
Detailed information on color digital photos of mannequin: Neg. # 2004-21229 - view of back of mannequin; 2004-21230 - eyes; 2004-21231 - face; 2004-21232 - feet; 2004-21233 - full overall view of front of mannequin (note that head is turned toward the right); 2004-21234 - legs; 2004-21235 - left hand; 2004-21236 - left profile of head; 2004-21237 - right hand; 2004-21238 - face. A new black and white negative has been made of an old black and white Smithsonian exhibit photo on file in the Smithsonian Institution Archives (RU 95, Box 44, 26507) showing mannequin 92427 in an exhibit case with a mannequin of a Japanese noblewoman (was # 92426, not located in the collections), both dressed in their typical clothing - Neg. #2002-10660. Per Barbara Watanabe, representations appear to be Heian period style (see female mannequin hairstyle, etc..) See p. 75 - 76 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101025795889&view=1up&seq=85 in Rhees, William Jones. 1880. Visitor's guide to the Smithsonian Institution and National Museum, Washington, D.C., Part 3 [Washington]: Judd & Detweiler, Printers and Publishers. E92427 and E92426 are described as on display in Case 2 and it is noted about them: "These figures are perfect in every detail; notice the finger nails, the blackened teeth of the lady, etc." Mannequin was apparently exhibited in NMNH Japanese Samurai Temporary Exhibit, April - July 1971. See black and white photos of the exhibit negative #s MNH2518A, MNH2518B, MNH2518H, MNH2518I, MNH2518J.
From Anthropology Conservation Lab Condition Report, 2004, see ACL files for additional information: Materials: Wood, human hair, paint, gesso, glass, copper alloy, lacquer. The life size male mannequin is anatomically correct and realistically modeled. It is carved from wood and made to be assembled and disassembled with the legs, arms and head all secured to the torso with notched mortise and tenon joints. The mannequin is free standing though there are two rectangular holes in the bottom of the heels that would have been used as an original support. Both the rectangular holes in the feet and the mortise and tenons are lined with a copper alloy sheet coated with presumably a lacquer. The body of the mannequin has a very particular hunched posture, slightly convex belly and well muscled legs and arms with slightly protruding veins in the arms and legs. The torso and head are hollow with wooden plugs fit into the base of the neck, arms and thighs. A thin gesso layer (calcium carbonate) was applied over the surface overall and painted. The hair and underarm hair appears to be placed individually as the placement is random and adhered and painted to match the skin tone. The eye lashes are made by attaching individual mouse hairs to a thin strip, most likely paper, which is then attached to the interior of the eyelid. On the bottom of the proper right foot the manufacturers signature is carved in Japanese characters. From examining x-rays and the mannequin itself, the mannequin has been carved in wood (possibly paulownia from written document) and painted with a gesso, called "gofun" (a pigment made out of crushed oyster shell) mixed with "nikawa" (an animal hide glue binder). However, in an area of loss in the proper left foot a plain woven fabric was seen between the gesso layer and wood, and it is unclear if this fabric was used over the entire mannequin to approve adhesion of the gesso layer or used only around joints to improve strength. In 2004, a sample of wood was removed from the proper right arm socket for analysis by Harry Alden of the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute. The wood was identified as Japanese Arborvitae (Thuja standishii).
No catalog card found in card file.
Illus. Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 in Robert Pontsioen, "The Alexander Graham Bell Collection of Japanese Masks at the Smithsonian," Nineteenth-Century Art Worldwide 17, no. 2 (Autumn 2018), https://doi.org/10.29411/ncaw.2018.17.2.8 (accessed November 6, 2018).
