Artist: Kawanabe Kyōsai [河鍋 暁斎] (Japanese, 1831 – 1889)

Signed: Seisei Kyosai [惺々暁斎], and sealed.

Media: Fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵), 215 x 233 mm.

Publisher: Unknown / No seal

Date: Unknown / No seal

Media: Fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵), 215 x 233 mm. Possibly, a private order.

Wind chimes (fûrin, 風鈴) are associated with a Wind Chimes Festival [風鈴祭り], held in summer all over Japan.

Seller’s description: wo swallows streak by with seeming joy past a fûrin, a wind bell. These Japanese wind chimes were introduced to Japan in the Heian era, and in the Edo period, they began to be constructed out of glass. We see the hanging length of paper twisting in the breeze as it creates a delightful chime; these tones are a characteristic sound of summer in Japan. A layer of deluxe mica covers the entire design, lending sparkle. This work was meant to be pasted onto an uchiwa, or fan, for summer use.