Series of Caricatures of Catfish
(Dôke namazu zukushi, 道外なまず尽し)
Publisher: Ki-ya Sôjirô
c. 1849-1851
The images below are Kuniyoshi’s original final drawings (hanshita-e)
for a series that was never published as woodblock prints. This series is not listed in Kuniyoshi
by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). Two images were drawn on a sheet of paper,
about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.
If the series had been printed, each print would have been about 7 by
10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters, a size known as chûban. |
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Top
title:
Namazu no dôzuki
(Catfish Leveling the Ground) Top
description: Six catfish construction workers level the construction site
with the concerted help of a huge octopus Bottom
title:
Odoriko dôjô-ji
(Dancer of the Dôjô-ji Dance) Bottom
description: A fish in the costume of a dôjô-ji
dance under a large bell temple bell |
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Top
title:
Sanjô kogani
(Small Crab of Sanjô) Top
description: A crab blacksmith hammers a sword in front of a Shinto altar Bottom
title:
Omi no Okane (Okane from Ômi Province) Bottom
description: A catfish as the strong-woman Okane, restrains a horse by
stepping on its lead rope |
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Top
title:
Top
description: A catfish on his back after a fall Bottom
title:
Bottom
description: Catfish pulling a boat with other catfish as passengers I am grateful
to Michael O'Clair for this image. |
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Top
title:
Top
description: Catfish looking at a picture of another catfish as Mongaku under the waterfall bottom Bottom
title:
Bottom
description: Catfish looking at the husband-and-wife rocks |
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Top
title:
Collection of mon (Mon zukushi) Top
description: Catfish as entertainers with mon
(crests) formed by catfish Bottom
title:
Bottom
description: Catfish farmer using their whiskers to hang bird-scarers I am grateful
to Robert Pryor for this image. |