Antique Japanese Woodblock – Kuniyoshi – Tanuki and Benkei – Edo period
有货
Condition Report:
This is from a series of comic prints alludes to the supposed ability of raccoon dogs to voluntarily enlarge their scrotums. It is not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). The images are each about 7 by 10 inches (18 by 25 centimeters), a size known as chûban. Two images were printed on a sheet of paper about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.
Tanuki are Japanese racoon dogs. Mischievous looking critters with a dog-like face and the body of a racoon. In ancient Japanese folklore these mammals were viewed as either gods of nature or troublesome yōkai. From the twelfth century on, tanuki were seen as humorous characters on account of their rather large testicles which artists grossly exaggerated for comic effect.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) was one of the last great masters of the ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings. He was famous for his pictures of samurai, animals and mythical creatures. He also created a sideline series of comic pictures depicting tanuki and their giant space hopper-sized gonads.
Provenance: From the collection of Clemens Merkelbach van Enkhuizen, A well known Dutch painter and artist from Amsterdam.
Merkelbach van Enkhuizen lived in one of the canal houses in Amsterdam and was an avid collection of Asian art.
Additional Information
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