$600
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sold
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Description
7" (18 cm.) and 9". Each crafted of stiffened paper covered in silk crepe and silk brocade with supplemental embroidered images of pine boughs and dangling wisteria blossoms, and with heads of wood covered in gofun with painted details including blackened teeth and okymayu skybrows; the o-bina (imperial lord) in the defining t-shape with a bold diagonal design to his front, and green silk brocade hakama trousers; and the me-bina (imperial lady) in a cylindrical shape with matching textiles, silk fiber hair. Some loss of hair, some soiling at left sleeve of male. Edo Period, 18th century. Originally the term "hina" was defined as something "small and lovely" and many of the earliest hina-ningyo were, indeed, quite small. However,over time, as the festival gained in popularity and a consumer and commercial one-up-man-ship took hold, sizes began to increase dramatically. This 18th century set retains the more pure sense of the festival with its focus on the simple dairi-bina (imperial couple). Small and lovely, indeed!