Sekino Jun'ichirō (関野準一郎) (artist 1914 – 1988)
Straw horse (わら馬) set against a background with a hō-ō or phoenix decoration
ca 1960
10.625 in x 13.875 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
The god of rice fields rides a straw horse (made of rice stalks). At harvest time in early August, hanging a straw horse from a persimmon tree embodies a prayer that "fruit will grow."
-- Ryosuke Saito Japanese Doll and Toy Dictionary (日本人形玩具大辞典) - Tokyo Dome publication 217. Originally published in 1968, but updated since then.
-- Ryosuke Saito "Regional Toy Dictionary" (Section 158 of Tokyo-dori Publishing)
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Floating World Gallery date another copy of this print to ca. 1950.
self-printed (sōsaku hanga - 創作版画) (genre)