Pair of hinamatsuri ひな祭り (Girls' Festival) dolls of the emperor (obina) and the empress (mebina). Both are wearing extravagant brocade silk kimonos. Their faces are painted with elegant noble-like features. The soft skin is created by applying repeated layers of the pigment called gofun 胡粉, which is the refined powder of the itabo oyster (Ostrea denselamellosa). Both are placed on a raised tatami-like platform. This pair is known as the imperial dolls (内裏雛 (だいりびな), dairi-bina), and are placed on the top tier of the tiered doll display. The words dairi means "imperial palace". Period: Japan – Edo period, around 200 years of age. Approx. dimensions excl. base: Emperor: Height 31.5 cm, Width 35 cm, Depth 19 cm. Empress: Height 31 cm, Width 33 cm, Depth 24 cm. Base: Height 6 cm, Width 41.5 cm, Depth 25 cm. Both in a fair original condition with signs of age-related wear, like loss of hair and some wear of the fabrics. Please look at the photos for a condition reference. Hinamatsuri (雛祭り), also called Doll's Day or Girls' Day, is a religious (Shinto) holiday in Japan, celebrated on 3 March of each year. Platforms covered with a red carpet–material are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (雛人形, hina-ningyō) representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period.