Comic and Miscellaneous Triptychs and Diptychs,

 Part III

 

Title: Effective Medicines for Treating the Epidemic (Hayari yamai kusuri no chikamichi, 流行病妙薬奇験)

Description:

Date: 9th month of 1858

Publisher: Tama-ya Sôsuke

 

NOTE: This diptych was produced during the cholera epidemic of 1858 that killed over 100,000 in Edo alone, including the artist Hiroshige.  The hanging scroll on the left, behind the man being treated, reads Gozu Tennô (牛頭天王), a deity of disease and healing.  Treatment was with a preparation of poppy seeds, both orally and as a poultice.  The people on the right are hoping to get some for themselves.  I am grateful to Ward Pieters for this image.

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the above design.

Kuniyoshi - (triptych) Modern Actors' Likenesses in a Miniature Gargen

Title: Modern Actors’ Likenesses in a Miniature Garden (今様見立箱庭人形, Imayô mitate hakoniwa ningyô)

Description:

Date: c. 1847

Publisher: Masa (phonetic reading of マサ)

Kuniyoshi - (diptych) Daruma on the Shelf Teaches Us the Signs of  Future Events (Tana no daruma, Satori no kuchimoto), 1858, get text

Title: Daruma on the Shelf Teaches Us the Signs of Future Events (Tana no daruma, Satori no kuchimoto)

Description:

Date: 8th month of 1858

Publisher: Enshûy-a Hikobie

Kuniyoshi - (drawing) Daruma,  CAHXWGI1

This is the original drawing for the above diptych

Kuniyoshi - (triptych) Procession of Kuniyoshi & his students in the Sanno Festival (Isamashiki Kuniyoshi Kiri no tsuimoyo), Paulownia crest of gallant Kuniyoshi, c

Title: Brave Kuniyoshi with his Paulownia Design (Isamashiki Kuniyoshi kiri no tsuimoyô, 勇国芳桐対模様)

Description: Procession of Kuniyoshi and his students in the Sanno Festival with Kuniyoshi’s paulownia crest is on the higher umbrella

Date: 1847-1848 (censors Hama and Kinugasa)

Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this later edition of the above design with a solid red title cartouche

Kuniyoshi - (triptych) Pilgrims to Oyama Come Accross Pilgrims to to Mt

Title: None

Description: Pilgrims to Ôyama Come Across Pilgrims to Mt. Fuji at the Gate of Takanawa

Date: 1834-1835

Publisher: Kaga-ya Kichiemon

Kuniyoshi - (oban), Male and Female in All Things (Bambutsu senshoroku danjo no zu)

Title: Male and Female in All Things (Bambutsu senshoroku danjo no zu)

Description: A pictorial record of the males and females of all things (note the tea and sake)

Date: 1850

Publisher: Wo or O (phonetic pronunciation of )

Kuniyoshi - (triptych) Picture of Honchô in Yokohama (Yokohama Honchô no zu), (6)1860

Title: Picture of Honchô in Yokohama (Yokohama Honchô no zu, 横浜本町之圖)

Description: Street scene of Yokohama

Date: 6th month of 1860

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

Title: Picture of Yokohamas Pleasure Quarter (Yokohama kuruwa no zu, 横浜廓之圖)

Description: Bird’s eye view of Miyozaki, Yokohama’s first licensed pleasure quarter

Date: 6th month of 1860

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

 

I am grateful to Paul Steier for this image.

Kuniyoshi - ParodyComical panoramic under Mount Fuji

Title:

Description: Comical panoramic under Mount Fuji

Date:

Publisher: Wakasa-ya Uhei

Kuniyoshi - (triptych)  scene of 'mamemaki', scattering parched beans to drive out bad luck on a day before the first day of spring, c

Title: Lucky Casting of Beans Completed at a Fortunate Compass Point (Eho kaho fuku no Iri-mame)

Description: Young nobleman performing the bean-throwing ritual (mamemaki) to drive out bad luck on a day before the first day of spring

Date: 1847-1850 (censors Mera and Murata)

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei

(8)1852

Title:

Description: Nobleman performing the bean-throwing ritual (mamemaki) to drive out bad luck on a day before the first day of spring

Date: 8th month of 1852

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei

Title: Shoki-San, Quick-Acting Medicine to Remove Evil Spirits (Shôki san jaki ni sokuto, (鍾馗散邪鬼に即刀)

Description: Shôki the Demon Queller (Zhong Kui) holding a sword to ward off sickness and evil spirits, with inset of a woman with a lantern leading a group of drunken men

Date: 8th month of 1858

Publisher: Enshû-ya Hikobei

53f33598

Title: The October 10th, Visit to Hirokoji in Western Ryogoku (十月十日より 西両国於 広小路御覧入候)

Description: People dancing with a tiger restrained by two men

Date: 1851

Publisher: No seal

 

NOTE: An exhibition of big cats in Hirokoji opened in October, 1851. 

Title: Iriyamagatato noboru kitaguchi: Yoshiwara

Description: Activities at the North Entrance of the Yoshiwara

Date: c. 1837-1842

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

Title: Big Sake Competition (Ozake taikai, 大酒大会)

Description: Men drinking sake

Date: 8th month of 1858

Publisher: Ôta-ya Takichi

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Title: A Collection with the Syllable “Mon” (Mitate mon tsukushi, 見立もんつくし)

Description: Six kabuki scenes on an ôban diptych

Date: 4th month of 1852

Publisher: Ise-ya Kanekichi

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Title: Procession of Ryukyuan People (Gomen Eyûkyûjin gyôretsu zuke, 御免琉球人行列附)

Description: The procession of the Ryukyuan Embassy in 1832

Date: 1832 (Tenpo 3 and sexegenary cycle zodiac year, 天保三 癸辰年)

Publisher: Two publishers are named–Hirano-ya Sukesaburô (平野屋助三郎) and Ogi-ya Heiemon (木屋平右衛門)

 

NOTE: This is a triptych composed of three horizontally oriented ôban sized panels, each about 10 by 14 inches (25 by 36 centimeters).  Kuniyoshi’s name is written as gakô (artist) Utagawa Kuniyoshi (画工 歌川国芳).  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Title (text on curtain): 女中 古河屋 御母公人口入所 乳母 すゝめや Description: Lady instructing other women in the tea ceremony 

Date: 9th month of 1858

Publisher: Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorô

 

NOTE: The book on the floor, next to the instructor, is an old-fashioned Japanese account book called a daifukucho (大福帳).  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Title: A Model of Popular Trends (Tôsei ryûkô mitate, 當世流行見立)

Description: A street fair with dancing and acrobatics

Date: c. 1841-1842

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

 

NOTE: Each sheet is signed 應需 一勇斎國芳 (by special request Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga).  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Title: Congratulations on Good Fortune in the Year of the Horse (Uma no toshi uke no oniwai, 午の年うけの御いわい)

Description:

Date: 4th month of 1858

PublisherHorikoshi (堀越)

Text: Earth sign people entering lucky period on the 8th day of the 5th month (土性ノ人五月八日有卦入) and Water sign people entering lucky period on the 8th day of the 5th month (水性ノ人五月八日有卦入)

 

NOTE: The plain cartouches are numerology for water and earth sign people.  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Title: 士濃職商 七福神豊年遊

Description: Actors with gods of good fortune coming off a hanging scroll

Date: 1843-1846 (censor Muramatsu Genroku)

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

 

I am grateful to Julius Tüting and Robert Pryor for locating this image.

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