Komiyama Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo
Acquired from the above by the present owner

This work is in good condition overall. Wear and scratches are noted throughout, most notably at the ball joints, thighs and buttocks. Light smudges and stains are noted throughout. The shoes are scuffed. All aforementioned conditions are possibly inherent to artist's intention.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Born in Nigata Prefecture, Nori Doi's experiments with doll-making, heavily inspired by Hans Bellmer, sparked the underground surrealist doll scene in Japan in the 1960s. After graduating from Joshibi University of Art and Design in 1955, she worked at a manufacturer of mannequins until 1975, where she met novelists and choreographers who were to immensely influence her work. Nori collaborated with photographers such as Kishin Shinoyama (1940-) and Yoshihiro Tatsuki (1937-) and produced works such as a “Chastity belt” and “Penis case” for the cover of Chi to Bara (The Blood and Rose), a three-volume magazine headed by Shibusawa Tatsuhiko (1928-1987) in 1968-1969. Shibusawa incidentally also translated Marquis de Sade’s provocative and philosophical L’Histoire de Juliette, ou les Prospérités du vice in 1959, giving rise to controversy, so much so that he and his publisher were later prosecuted for public obscenity. The framework of the magazine predominantly focused on eroticism and violence, and other contributions include an article by Mishimo Yukio (1925- 1970) titled All Japanese are perverse.

It was also by virtue of Shibusawa - and Takiguchi Shuzo (1903 -1973) - that Nori was introduced to Hans Bellmer’s deeply nuanced Surrealist dolls and became inspired to make a female ball-jointed doll in 1969. Other works through which Nori blurred dichotomies and pushed boundaries include a phallic appendage she made for Hijikata Tatsumi's (1928 – 1986) performance Hijikata: Revolt of the Body in 1968, as well her photo album La Fausse Fille, which included works by Nobuyoshi Araki (1940-) and was published in 2003. Solo exhibitions of her work have been held at several galleries since 1974 and her dolls were more recently exhibited at Dolls of Innocence at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo in 2004.