Utagawa Toyokuni II (二代目歌川豊国) (artist 1777 – 1835)
Ōkubi-e: Double bust portrait with bats in the border
ca 1830
10 in x 14.5 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed: Gosotei Toyokuni hitsu
後素亭豊國筆
Artist's seal: toshidama
Publisher: Yamamotoya Heikichi
(Marks 595 - seal 04-007)
Censor's seal: kiwame
Lyon Collection - another print from this series, but with a different publisher
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - another print from this series published by Ezakiya Tatsuzō
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - another print from this series published by Yamamotoya Heikichi
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - another print from this series also published by Yamamotoya Heikichi Notice that these two actors are framed within a border of flying, green bats. There is another print from this series in the Lyon Collection, but with a different publisher's seal. See #693.
This print has to date after 1825 when Toyokuni I died and Toyokuni II took that name.
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The figure on the right is an actor playing a sumō (相撲) wrestler.
Yamamotoya Heikichi (山本屋平吉) (publisher)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
ōkubi-e (大首絵) (genre)
bats (komori - 蝙蝠) (genre)
sumō (相撲) (genre)