A DOLL, “Chang the Chinese Farmer”, from Door of Hope Mission, Shanghai, China, circa the first quarter of the 20th century.

“Door of Hope Doll” depicts a farmer in a traditional dress consisting of blue-colored work clothes and a white cotton shirt. Head, arms and legs in carved pear wood, of which the head with painted details, body in upholstered textile. The hands are shaped to hold utensils.

About The Door of Hope Mission
Door of Hope Mission was an institution in Shanghai that cared for up to 200 young girls to protect them from widespread poverty and political violence. To support the business and teach the girls useful skills, the business manufactured dolls, in which the girls were paid for their work. The dolls are known to represent a breadth of pursuits, social classes, ages and genders from their time and place. Of these, about 25 different models are known. However, all dolls are unique as the dolls were carved and the clothes were sewn by hand.