Mother and Children with Toys

This charming three-sheet print, or triptych, combines three compositions of women and children that could be purchased separately or put together as a set. On the right, an older boy with a sword and the haircut of a young man (wakashū) reaches back for his hobby horse. In the middle print, a young woman carries an infant while a girl with a ball looks back. Finally, a younger boy plays with a top while a young woman holds a drum and a lion mask for him.

During the Hōreki period (1751–64) when these prints were produced, prints depicting children or mothers increased dramatically. With continued peace and the growth of Edo as a major urban center, citizens took great pride to be able to raise healthy children and the depiction of children became an important theme in ukiyo-e.