Comment - The lady in the center panel lifts her kimono with her right hand and carries a baby. She stands in front of a large Edo kite ("Edo-tako", "江戸凧") with lots of bridle lines, decorated with a large Daruma face. "Daruma" ("達磨") is the Japanese founder of the Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as a talisman of good luck and encouragement.
Next to the lady in the center panel is a boy holding the Daruma kite "("達磨 凧") on one of it's side spars. Bundles of tail ropes laying on the floor. The lady on the left panel is also carrying a child on her back. A toppled down bird-of-prey kite ("tonbi dako", "鳶凧") is laying on the ground. Directly behind her is a boy bending down to a bundle of tail ropes to arrange them properly.
In the center ground of the left panel is a small Yakko kite ("yakko dako", "奴凧") laying on the ground. A boy, mostly hidden behind the lady on the left panel, is dragging the Yakko kite line. He is fearing a man, instantly dragging an overloden carriage, threatening to smash the small yakko kite. The background is dominated by the slopes of Mount Fuji.
The sign on the brown red sill belongs to a restaurant read "Mise-rui-ya" or "Mise tomo-ya" ("店類屋"). The blue and white flag on the upper left of the left panel hints to the premises.
The right panel is dominated by a lady with a small child on her right hand. She hold a hanetsuki ball and a hanetsuki rack in her left hand and sholder. Hanetsuki is a traditional Japanese battledore, resembling badminton. Flying kites and playing hantsuki is a typical pasttime for New Year's day. The title of triptych (kanji) ("First Month", "Mutsuki") and series title (kana) is written in the upper right cassette of the right panel.


Series - "Five Festivals" ("Gosekku no uchi",  "五節句のうち" or "ごせっくのうち")


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga (一勇斎国芳画) on all three panels


Publisher -  Enshū-ya Matabei ( 森屋冶兵衛), seal on all three panels; blockcutters seal only above publisher seal on right and left panel


Image Size - 34.3 x 68.1cm   (13 1/2" x 26 9/11")


Condition - trypich, three single panels; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);