Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) / Toyokuni III (三代豊国) (artist 1786 – 01/12/1865)

Parody of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune in the Pleasure Quarters (Seirō mitate - 青楼見立 [Shichifukujin - 七福神]) - left-hand panel of a triptych

Print

---

Date:1810s
Dimensions:9.75 in x 14.5 in (Overall dimensions) Medium:Japanese color woodblock print
Inscription:Signed: Kunisada ga
国貞画
Publisher: Nishimuraya Yohachi
(Marks 391 - seal 01-008)
Censor's seal: kiwame
Collector's seal: an 'H' in a frame
Another seal in red: Gourd-shaped below kneeling figure
Links Museum of Fine Art, Boston - another copy of only this print
Kabuki-za - full triptych
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - the right-hand panel of this triptych
Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire (via Ritsumeikan University) - copy of this print only Description:This is a curious composition. It functions, as do so many other Japanese woodblock prints, on many levels. It has a loose relationship to the kabuki theater, a prominent restaurant, a New Year's celebration, prostitutes and the Yoshiwara. In fact the 'seirō' (青楼) of the title means 'brothel' or 'whorehouse'. These were located in the Shin-Yoshiwara or New Yoshiwara, which was built behind the Sensō-ji (浅草寺), a prominent and aged Buddhist temple. According to Matsushita Sachiko (松下幸子) of Chiba University, there was one restaurant in the Shin-Yoshiwara that catered particularly to the prostitutes. The scene here was probably taking place at the Ki-no-jiya (喜の字屋). Whereas most prostitutes were poor and could only afford to eat two, not very tasty meals, a day, here everything seems sumptuous. In fact, most of the food had been prepared outside of this district and were brought in. These included udon and soba noodles along with the local eel, sushi and egg thrown into the mix. This was the dai-no-mono (台の物) or seasonal foods provided by outside caterers.

****

There is a copy of the full triptych at the Tobacco and Salt Museum.

****

The fellow kneeling in the back is carrying a stylized treasure boat with the easily identifiable dragon-prow. The Seven Propitious Gods were said to have arrived in Japan aboard just such a vessel. The courtesan in front of him is carrying a low table loaded with a cooked sea bream.

****

There is an extra stamp or seal on this print from the Lyon Collection that does not appear on the other two prints in related links. That makes us believe that it is a collector's seal because it appears to be a stylized capital "H". It is placed directly below the kiwame seal. Also, there is another print in the Lyon Collection with this same exact seal. It appears in the lower right-hand corner of a surimono print by Gakutei, #874.
Related entities Nishimuraya Yohachi (西村屋与八) (publisher)
Historical - Social - Ephemera (genre)
mitate-e (見立て絵) (genre)

---