Dolls based on historical figures?

Ringdoll has a few dolls based on Chinese historical figures, like Sun Ce and Zhao Yun, just to name a few. and of course Volks has their Hijikata Toshizo and Sakamoto Ryouma, amongst other pivotal figures leading up to the Meiji Restoration! however i'd say that they're more or less very loosely based off of these figures, like a reimagination of sort I don't see how it should be morally questionable or offensive, as long as they're not used by owners in that manner or created by companies for a particular political/morally dubious purpose~

I think some have an idealised version of how these characters are like, but imo it tends to be all in good fun!

 

I have a doll who is loosely based off of Bia Medici. The inspiration shows up mostly in her hair style and backstory; my doll is otherwise her own character.

 

One of my dolls is named for the real-life crusader Balian. He's very loosely based on the historical guy, but with a LOT of fantasy changes.

I would definitely draw the line at really nasty people in recent (ish) history as that could be seen as reverence for their behaviour.

 

One of my dolls' characters is based on the historical figure of Izumo no Okuni, the foundress of kabuki. Details surrounding the real Okuni's life are shrouded in mystery anyhow, so a lot of artistic license was involved in my doll rendition of her.

 

Volks has some Super Dollfies based (loosely?) on historical Japanese figures, Amamusa Shirō Tokisada and Okita Sōji among others. Technically the Dollfie Dreams from the Fate series are based on historical figures (King Arthur/Artoria Pendragon aka Saber, Jeanne d'Arc/Joan of Arc, Nero Claudius) but they're a bit more uh... anime fanservice-y and rewritten for the story's universe.

 

Mostly I wouldn't want to limit myself by having a doll based on an actual historical person rather than just representing a person who could or might have lived at that time. Many of my dolls are historically based characters, they're just not based on actual historical figures.

That means I get to decide what they're like and what they would or wouldn't wear, or do, or say without the constraints of wondering, "Would the real person have worn this, or done that, or said this...?" and "How much of what we think we know about the real person is speculation, and how much is fact...?"

Teddy

 

I think it’s a awesome idea.

For those whose spiritual path honors ancestors, I could see dolls being a good offering or “house”. Especially for ones who you might not know what they look like.

It could be of interest for history lovers as well if they don’t have a dislike or fear of dolls. Like a 5 year old Mozart or something.

Really makes you appreciate just how versatile bjds can be. So many possibilities and ways to play/display them.

 

I don't have him anymore, but I had a Soom Ender hybrid based on Pharaoh Ay (with creative liberties, as obviously, there were no photos of him).

Spoiler: Pharaoh Ay

 

I have Salvador Dali as a doll.

 

I love history, so in addition to dolls from specific time periods, I have a doll of a pharaoh's daughter and a Roman emperor.

 

A Hua Mulan-inspired doll would be really neat. Curious to see what you come up with!

Historical figures are really nothing new to dolls as a medium. From long-standing playlines like Barbie, to treasured antiquities, and a sizable niche for it in the 1/6 hobby, never mind custom works of all shapes and sizes, it's a concept persistent since time immemorial. Perceived taboos of real person-inspired dolls are very much exclusive to our community, and for why I can't possibly fathom; the desire to create, particularly in the image of others, is as widely treasured as is natural, forming a core part of what makes us uniquely human.

I'm very much an individualist; not in the self-serving, 'rugged' sort of way, but in my strong belief of being true to one's self over cultural compliance. In this case: your dolls, your rules. Anyone that disagrees can—and absolutely should be—curating their own experience.

Honestly, I can't think of anyone from the past I'm particularly interested in enough to turn into doll form (though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't now imagining how cute Sappho would be, especially with that Grecian-inspired SartoriaJ gown ), but I do have a doll based on a real person. For me, there's nothing limiting about it; playing stylist and penning elaborate, fantastical "what if" narratives to place her in is a never-ending joy that keeps my creative brain working when I'm otherwise too burnt out to do anything else.

 

I really like dolls based on historical figures or legends.
So I know about the Ringdoll 'The Order of Devil Conqueror' series and Angell Studio had the most handsome men in ancient China (LanLing / PanAn / Wei Jie / Song Yu) on their page. Unfortunately, not all of them are made anymore.
As for the Loongsoul dolls, I'm not sure if some of them are also based on historical figures. (My knowledge of Chinese history is too poor for that.) But I can well imagine that this could be the case.

 

For me it's more fun to find a doll that works and come up with a design myself!

 

I did like dollshe's Leonardo Dicaprio but ...dollshe

 

I'm sorry but the moment I read the title I imagined a chubby benjamin franklin as a bjd. I shook myself..

but fr I think historical figures made into bjd or having bjd dressed up and painted to look like them would be amazing. Lots of civil rights movement people would make amazing figures and there are so many photography opportunities. It'd also be great to share pictures of dolls like these with text about their background and stories.

 

Aha, I knew there must be a thread about this somewhere!! I've thought about this concept a bunch of times since my resurgence of interest in BJDs started in the middle of a really big fixation on18th century Europe My main historical figures of interest are Farinelli the castrato singer and Louis XVI of France--I just think they're both fascinating people and it would be fun to try to shell them as dolls someday, as a way to sort of commemorate my interest in them!

If I wanted to be accurate to how they looked it might be difficult, though, since plus size male bodies are hard to come by (for Louis) and castrati had some distinct physical characteristics that might be hard to find in a doll too (...beyond just the thing castrati are mainly known for, lol).

...And then I'd have to deal with finding powdered wig-style hair for them...there are some beautiful ones in Nakana Workshop's promo shoots, but they don't seem to have them for sale oh well!

 

Yeah, thast's an issue I have with wigs for my "Victorian" family, especially the eldest girl. Correctly styled updo wigs for the period are few and far between, the few that might be passable from the back, don't work form the fron as the majority have a fringe ("bangs," I think the Americans call it), are parted in the wrong place, and/or the hairline looks very fake and wig-like.

I dabble in other periods for my dolls too and have found the occasional 18th Century wig that is passable, over the years, but you really have to keep your eyes open for them and snap them up when you see them.


The other problem I find is clothes that are correct for the period - especially for my Victorian boys. I don't like sewing for boys nearly as much as I do for girls, so seldom get around to it and tht leaves finding stuff that is correct, in the right colours/size/fabrics and buying iT (rare) or commissioning it adn goign through the worry of whether the perosn you've commissioned actually understands whet you're after, or has assumed they do and doesn't bother to check the details before deliviering something that isn't correct (it's happend, and is extremely off-putting).

Teddy

 

Ooh your boys look great!! Fantastic outfits! But I totally understand the struggle I’d found maybe one place that does sell powdered wig-style doll wigs and they all looked a bit…wonky… Probably fixable, but I don’t have much wig styling experience yet.

I’ve also been surprised by how difficult it is to find knee breeches—whenever I see a frock coat that looks fairly accurate, it always seems to be paired with full length slacks and knee high boots, even from sewists who are usually on the more historically accurate side They can’t all be ready for horseback riding!!

I’ll need to see if I can find more doll-sized sewing patterns so I can make some pieces myself, but I haven’t sewn clothes as much as I’ve seen other things so I’m a bit intimidated haha.

 

I own a volks doll of Date Masamune (specifically the 2nd edition), a Japanese samurai known as the one eyed dragon of Oshu! I snatched him up for an amazing deal, he's so beautiful, such a unique sculpt, and I also bonded with him amazingly! But his clothes make me shed real tears every time I dress him in his historical getup!

However ever since I got him I have been seriously wanting to shell him as an original character inspired by Date Masamune rather than actually having my boy be him. Many many many people call him "Dante" when they meet him and it does sound kinda cute but I really want to rename him! maybe another Japanese name that starts with D? If you have any ideas please I would love love LOVE to know!

I'm thinking of ever so slightly modding his faceup just to give him a little darker eye makeup to invoke a v-kei look and some temporary mod piercings, as I want his character to be a moody bandmen who has a sort of dragon motif! But I feel hesitant because I don't want to regret it and he was a limited doll (but I really wouldn't consider him that rare at all). But no matter what I'm keeping his blind eye, it's what makes my boy him! And I don't think he would feel right being forced to have an eye that doesn't suit him! He's very particular

But if anyone here has any advice at all on anything relating to my boy I would love to hear it! If you want more info in order to give advice or even if you're just curious, I always love answering questions about him!

 

I have a volks boy whos based on Date Masamune (the 2nd edition doll), he's a samurai and daimyo, he's blind in one eye, which influenced his title as the one eyed dragon of Oshu, and man is my boy so darn gorgeous and unique!

 

I've made medieval and early-modern outfits for some of my dolls.