Kuniyoshi 国芳: Kamada Matahachi Killing a Monstrous Cat in the Mountains of Ise Province

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)

Title: Kamada Matahachi Killing a Monstrous Cat in the Mountains of Ise Province (Kamada Matahachi Seishū Matsuzaka no hito musō kyōryoku nari dōkoku Suzuka no sanchū nite toshifuru daineko wo korosu)  Date: ca. 1840

A giant, muscled monster calico cat with yellow eyes is pinned against the ground by Matahachi, who readies his sword for the final stroke. With the vibrant action unique to Kuniyoshi, the hero’s garments sway actively with his movements, and we feel the anguish and anger of the monster cat, trapped at last. The hero’s face is framed by halos of flowing hair, and his skin features chiarascuro, which emphasizes his own musculature. We can see we are in a fantastical space by the cavelike background and exotic flowering plants. In the background we glimpse the cat monster’s forked tail. The cat’s fur features blindprinting.  Kamada Matahachi was a heroic figure featured in several stories in the kurohon light fiction genre. Born in Matsuzaka in Ise, he traveled to Edo to perform heroic deeds and vanquish evildoers. Here he is shown getting the better of a monstrous cat that lurked in the mountains of Sieshu. This episode is based on an earlier book from 1769, Kamada matahachi bakemono taiji. The mercurial nature of cats, combined with their penchant for hunting and unknowable mien, made them ripe for transformation into monsters. Scarce, especially in this condition.

Condition: Excellent impression; very good color and condition. Some trimming at top and bottom and fold line. Some paper remnants recto along rightmost edge. Dimensions: ôban (36.9 x 25.8 cm)
Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizo
References: Robinson, B.W. KUNIYOSHI The Warrior Prints p.10. Ann Yonemura, et al. Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection. Seattle and Washington. cat. 78, pp. 210-211. Paget, Rhiannon. Divine Felines: The Cat in Japanese Art. Tuttle (2023), p. 131. National Museum of Asian Art. Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga

SKU: KUY642