Dolls

Traditional Japanese dolls presented as woodblock subjects, their carefully dressed figures and painted faces offering Nakagawa Isaku rich opportunities for pattern and color. Japanese ningyo dolls—whether hina dolls for Girls' Day, warrior dolls for Boys' Day, or kokeshi folk dolls—carry deep cultural significance as symbols of protection, celebration, and craftsmanship. Nakagawa renders them with attention to their layered textile garments and stylized features, translating the three-dimensional artistry of doll-making into the flat, graphic language of the print. The result bridges two traditional Japanese craft forms in a single image.