Kunichika: Kabuki Competition of Good Guys and Bad Guys, Depicted in Funny Cats (SOLD)
Artist: Toyohara Kunichika 国周 (1835-1900)
Title: Competition of Good Guys and Bad Guys, Depicted in Funny Cats (Chin neko mitate zen-aku kurabe 珍猫見立善悪競) Date: 1884, October 29
Humorous ranking of kabuki actors/kabuki roles, with the actors’ faces all depicted as cats. Each wears the costume of their role, and carries the stage prop associated with a famous scene of their character. There are eighty in total, and in the identifying cartouches spell out the name of the actor, the name of the role, and the amount in yen that comprises a ranking/fee, as well as the kabuki house (yagô 屋号) to which they belong. The highest value/rank seems to belong to Ichikawa Danjuro (pictured in the middle sheet, standing and wearing the Chushingura robe), who is given a value of 3000 yen. This amount may be what the actor’s reported fee was, but it would have perhaps more to do with his perceived market value and box office draw. His role is The man of matchless loyalty; Akô; Ôishi Kuranosuke Yoshitaka 誠忠 赤穂 大石内藏助良雄. Second in value is Ichikawa Sadanji, who is shown in a crouched position on the rightmost sheet next to a green cartouche and wearing a blue robe. His role is man of self-sacrifice; Sakura; Kiuchi Sôgorô 義民 佐倉 木之内宗五郎 , and his value is 2700 yen, and his house is Takashima-ya. These rankings were of great interest to kabuki fans, but this is more of a mitate, or humorous comparison, so it seems to be presented with a wink and a cat grin.
Nagashima Shungyo 永島春暁 (mentioned on the far right in blue at top) is the one who presents this ranking list of good and evil roles in the Kabuki dramas. From the right, it begins with high-ranking good guys, and from the center left to the framed title with high ranking bad guys–some female roles are also included. At the far left the date of delivery is mentioned in yellow, and the artist’s real name Arakawa Yasohachi 荒川八十八 and the name of publisher Fukuda Tamotsu福田 保 is written in blue. With thanks to Michiko Sato Grube, who has identified all of the actors and roles--this large amount of information is provided separately.
Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Untrimmed and unbacked. With areas of luxurious metallic pigments.
Dimensions: ôban triptych (37.4 x 25 cm each sheet)
Signature: Upon request Kunichika hitsu 應需 豊原国周筆
Literature: Paget, Rhiannon. Divine Felines: The Cat in Japanese Art. Tuttle (2023), p. 143.
Publisher: Fukuda Tamotsu 福田 保
SKU: KCA135