Passed
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Description
28" (71 cm.) Depicted is the 12th century general Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-89), accompanied by a kneeling bannerman. Yoshitsune, with head and hands carved of wood and covered in a fine white gofun with painted details, well-carved and expressive features with down-turned mouth, large painted eyes, and silk fiber hair worn long with shaved pate is wearing eye-popping gold lacquer paper armor with dense silk lacing with a gold brocade obi at waist, blue silk brocade hitatare over gold brocade inner kimono, thick padded silk brocade thigh guards with metal chain and plates, thick faux fur boots, battle whisk in his right hand, lacquered paper kabuto helmet with metal studs, fittings and a papier mache dragon maedate finial, bow, arrow quiver and sword. The kneeling bannerman with a comedic face, black birodo velvet accents, is holding aloft a silk banner with the Genji/Minamoto clan rindo (gentian) crest. Edo Period, early 19th century. Yoshitsune was for well over a century the preeminent Boy's Day figure. Large-scale figures such as this formed the centerpiece of lavish displays that point to the significance and importance of this festival, though now largely overshadowed by its feminine counterpart, the Hina Matsuri.