Daruma’s Buffoonery

(Dôke Daruma asobi, 道外だるまけん)

Publisher: Hori Masa and Okaei

1847

After the imposition of a ban on actor prints in 1842, Kuniyoshi produced numerous humorous designs with thinly disguised actors’ portraits. In this series, well-known actors are portrayed as Daruma, without any mention of their names. This series is listed as number 191 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). The prints in this series are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

	Title: Comical Ken Game of Darumas (Dôke Daruma ken, 道化だるまけん) Description: Actors Nakamura Utaemon IV (right), Ichikawa Kuzô II (center) and Matsumoto Kôshirô VI (left) playing the game of ken Publisher: Hori Masa
	I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this variant with bokashi (gradual shading of color) on only one figure.
	Title: Zazenmame Description: Actors Ichimura Uzaemon XII (right), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII (center) and Onoe Kikujirô II (left) Publisher: Okaei
	Title: Sumidagawa Description: Actors Bandô Shûka (right), Sawamura Sôjûrô V (center) and Onoe Kikugorô III (left)
	Another state without any purple
	Title: Otowa no taki Description: Actors Badnô Shûka and Onoe Kikugorô III Publisher: Hori Masa I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.
	Title: Description: Publisher: Hori Masa Image courtesy of Marie de Strycker

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