The Doll Festival, Third Day of the Third Month
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 1/4 x 7 3/8 in. (21 x 18.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JP1980
Tags
Art Historical Context
Kubo Shunman’s *The Doll Festival, Third of the Third Month*19th century) captures the joyful spirit of Japan’s Hina Matsuri or Doll Festival, celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month during the Edo period (1615–1868). This intimate woodblock print, or *surimono*, depicts dolls and books—key elements of the holiday when families displayed elaborate hina dolls representing the imperial court to pray for girls’ health and prosperity. As a privately commissioned print, it reflects the refined tastes of Kyoto’s literati circles, often featuring poetry alongside vivid imagery. Shunman,...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820