This plate from the Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys (Kyōsen Omocha-shū) by Kawasaki Kyosen (1877–1942) sets a standing dark folk doll above two small child figures facing one another on a pale wooden beam. Kyosen recorded the dolls and figures of Japan with steady affection, and here he pairs a poised single doll with a lively little scene of two children at play.
The sheet is omocha-e, the picture of toys, drawn from life and printed by woodblock. The standing doll is set in deep colour against the open paper, the two children laid in clear reds and pale tones on their beam below, and a red seal placed at the side. The calm line and flat colour keep both groups plain and legible.
On a wall the print is poised and warm. The upright doll and the small pair of children give a room a quiet pairing of stillness and play against the pale ground. It suits a child's room, a bedroom, or a hallway, and pairs naturally with pale wood and other folk-art prints.
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This plate from the Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys (Kyōsen Omocha-shū) by Kawasaki Kyosen (1877–1942) sets a standing dark folk doll above two small child figures facing one another on a pale wooden beam. Kyosen recorded the dolls and figures of Japan with steady affection, and here he pairs a poised single doll with a lively little scene of two children at play.
The sheet is omocha-e, the picture of toys, drawn from life and printed by woodblock. The standing doll is set in deep colour against the open paper, the two children laid in clear reds and pale tones on their beam below, and a red seal placed at the side. The calm line and flat colour keep both groups plain and legible.
On a wall the print is poised and warm. The upright doll and the small pair of children give a room a quiet pairing of stillness and play against the pale ground. It suits a child's room, a bedroom, or a hallway, and pairs naturally with 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 standing dark folk doll above two small child figures facing one another on a pale wooden beam, drawn from life.
What kind of dolls are these?
Regional Japanese folk dolls and child figures (ningyō) of clay, wood, or papier-mâché, kept and exchanged as toys and charms.
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 bedroom, or a hallway, where the upright doll and the small pair of children add a quiet, warm note.
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Japan historical period: Taisho 大正 (1912-1925)
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#Puppet & Playtoy Scene
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#Sketch
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#Wooden
