Japanese art from the Edo period , £9.99
Explore / Online Tours
Utagawa Hiroshige, 'Suido Bridge and Surugadai', Japan, AD 1857
Height: 360.000 mm
Width:
240.000 mm
Asia JA 1948.4-10.072
Fish
A colour woodblock print
Hiroshige (1797-1858) was one of the most successful printmakers of his time in Japan. This print shows paper carp streamers in the air, flown for the Boys' Festival. In the background other streamers fly over the city of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), and Mount Fuji looks tiny in the distance.
The Children's Festival on 5th May used to be only for boys, but is now a special day when the Japanese pray for happiness, health and success in the lives of all their children. Families fly carp streamers on tall poles in their gardens (koi-nobori = carp-streamer) for each member of the family. The oldest son has the largest streamer.