Unai no Tomo, Plate 94, 1913

About the artwork This plate is taken from Unai no Tomo, a multi-volume catalog documenting traditional Japanese folk toys compiled through firsthand collection. It depicts a black papier-mâché horse toy decorated with stylized floral and feather motifs, a form traditionally associated with seasonal festival figures. The accompanying inscription records details of the toy's design and origin. About the artist Seifu Shimizu was a Japanese collector, artist, and calligrapher who studied painting under Hiroshige III. He spent decades documenting traditional Japanese toys and dolls, producing Unai no Tomo as the definitive illustrated record of the subject.