Comment - Triptych showing a scene of beauties enjoying a stroll during the New Year's festivities. At right, a woman leads a young girl by the hand, pointing at a traditional New Year decoration of pine and bamboo. In the center and left panel, three beauties play hanetsuki, a holiday game similar to badminton. The one in the center panel bounces a feathered shuttlecock overhead with a decorated paddle, much to the amusement of her companions.
Several kites fly overhead, including a Yakko ("yakko dako", "奴凧") or man kite with purple kimono sleeves fluttering like wings and two Edo kites ("Edo-tako", "江戸凧"), one of them featuring the Japanese sun symbol of the national flag. The women are elegantly dressed in colorful kimonos made of sumptuous fabrics. Title within cassette upper right panel (not read)


Series -


Artist - see Biography


Signature - "picture drawn by Nobu" ("nobu-ga hitzu", "延画筆") on the lower left (rare signature)


Publisher -  Fukuda Hatsajirō (福田初次郎) (twin fish seal, left panel, left side)


Image Size - 70.5 x 34.3 cm   ( 27 3/4"   x 13 1/2")


Condition - Tryptich; Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, three separate panels, all vertical ôban; backed with somewhat stiff paper