Boy’s Day Carp Streamer and Shōki Banner

Boy’s Day Carp Streamer and Shōki Banner

Kawanabe Kyōsai 河鍋暁斎

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

On Boys’ Day, the fifth day of the fifth month, families displayed carp streamers and images of the demon-queller Shōki, painted in red to protect the household against disease; the rooster symbolizes honesty and fortitude. Kawanabe Kyōsai was renowned for his witty, humorous depictions of people, birds, and animals of all varieties. Once arrested for a caricature mocking the government, he became one of the most popular artists of his day.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Boy’s Day Carp Streamer and Shōki BannerBoy’s Day Carp Streamer and Shōki BannerBoy’s Day Carp Streamer and Shōki BannerBoy’s Day Carp Streamer and Shōki BannerBoy’s Day Carp Streamer and Shōki Banner

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.