Mother and Son with Sannō Festival Toy Cart Representing Yoshitsune and Benkei Fighting on Gojo Bridge c. 1750

Curator: This intriguing print, residing at the Harvard Art Museums, is by Okumura Masanobu. It depicts a mother and child with a Sannō Festival toy cart representing Yoshitsune and Benkei fighting on Gojo Bridge. Editor: It feels intimate, yet performative. The mother is so elaborately dressed, and that toy cart is like a miniature stage. Curator: Yes, woodblock prints like these, dating perhaps to the early 18th century, were affordable art for urban dwellers, reflecting popular culture and current events. Editor: That fight on Gojo Bridge, between Yoshitsune and Benkei, must have been an iconic image. The cart recreates it perfectly. The story itself signifies loyalty and honor. Curator: Precisely. Masanobu uses the imagery of the festival to tap into feelings of nostalgia and shared cultural understanding. The mother dragging the cart is enacting a cultural tradition. Editor: I see it now, like a visual echo of stories passed down, with the cart becoming a symbol for the preservation of historical narratives. Curator: Exactly. This image tells us much about Edo period society and its cultural values. Editor: To me, it's about how symbols, even in toy form, shape our understanding of history.