Comments - Attractive scene illustrating the five festivals celebrated annually in Japan. At right, a beauty in a flowing black kimono carries an offering tray with small gifts for the New Year Festival. Behind her, a young boy climbs on his mother's back, wearing a samurai helmet and wielding a sword made of braided iris for the Boys' Day Festival. He smiles happily as he knocks a figure of a red demon to the floor, a figure of Shoki, the Demon Queller, displayed on a low platform. In the center, a beauty and a young girl carry dolls for the Girls' Festival display. At upper left, a woman arranges flowers for the Chrysanthemum festival while the beauty seated at the low table writes out a poem slip for Tanabata. A lovely subject with wonderful detail and color, including embossing on the white kimono and white kimono trim, and burnishing in the black robe and lacquer objects. This subject is illustrated on page 166 of Bruce A. Coats's recent book "Chikanobu: Images of Modernity and Nostalgia."

Artist - Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

Image Size - 14" x 28 1/8" + top margin as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Three separate panels. Paper remnants on reverse at edges from previous mounting. Small loss at edge, hole, repaired. Offsetting, slight soiling, a few creases. Please see photos for details. Good overall.