This plate belongs to the Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys (Kyōsen Omocha-shū), the album in which Kawasaki Kyosen (1877–1942) set down the folk toys of Japan. It shows a black folk horse, harnessed in blue and red, with a small painted figure resting beside it. Toy horses of papier-mâché and carved wood were made across the country and tied to harvest rites and children's festivals; Kyosen recorded this one as a single, clearly observed piece.
The sheet is omocha-e, the picture of toys, drawn from life and printed by woodblock. The horse is held in a deep black with its saddle and trappings set in flat red and blue, the small figure placed low in quiet line, and a red seal marks the corner. The colour is even and the contour calm, so the toy is left to speak for itself.
On a wall the print is grounded and characterful. The strong dark horse anchors a space without crowding it, while the pale ground keeps the image light. It suits a child's room, a study, . . . Read More >>
This plate belongs to the Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys (Kyōsen Omocha-shū), the album in which Kawasaki Kyosen (1877–1942) set down the folk toys of Japan. It shows a black folk horse, harnessed in blue and red, with a small painted figure resting beside it. Toy horses of papier-mâché and carved wood were made across the country and tied to harvest rites and children's festivals; Kyosen recorded this one as a single, clearly observed piece.
The sheet is omocha-e, the picture of toys, drawn from life and printed by woodblock. The horse is held in a deep black with its saddle and trappings set in flat red and blue, the small figure placed low in quiet line, and a red seal marks the corner. The colour is even and the contour calm, so the toy is left to speak for itself.
On a wall the print is grounded and characterful. The strong dark horse anchors a space without crowding it, while the pale ground keeps the image light. It suits a child's room, a study, or a hallway, and sits comfortably beside pale wood and other folk-art prints.
Each print is made to order on thick, smooth fine-art paper, framed behind shatter-resistant acrylic, or as a satin-coated cotton canvas. Choose the format that suits your wall.
Frequently asked questions
What does this print show?
A black Japanese folk horse harnessed in blue and red, with a small painted figure beside it, drawn from life.
What are these horse toys?
Regional toy horses of papier-mâché or carved wood, long linked to harvest rites and children's festivals across Japan.
Where does the image come from?
From Kawasaki Kyosen's Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys, an album of omocha-e recording the folk toys of early twentieth-century Japan.
Where does it suit best?
In a child's room, a study, or a hallway, where the strong dark horse gives the wall a grounded, characterful focus.
<< Read Less
Japan historical period: Taisho 大正 (1912-1925)
Check out other artwork of Kawasaki Kyosen
