Kuniyoshi: Comic Suikoden (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Title:  Comic Suikoden
Date: ca. 1830

Number One from the series of ten that satirize the very popular Chinese Suikoden characters. We see a series of humorous vignettes that relate to the different Suikoden rebels. One man is obviously Japanese; he gestures towards a barrel of rays with his pipe; his shoulders bear the tattoo of a snake. His companions are obviously Chinese, however. Top left we see a man with an astrolabe behind him and what might be divination sticks in front of him. It would take a scholar to parse out the stories and humor behind each scene, but we can appreciate Kuniyoshi’s full humor and creativity on display even without knowing the full stories.

Condition: Very good impression, color and condition.
Publisher:  Yorozuya Kichibei
Series: Kyôga Suikoden goketsu ippyaku hachinin (Caricatures of the One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden)  Size:  ôban 36.9 x 25.4 cm
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga
Literature: Not in Robinson.  See MFA website. See “Kuniyoshi & Kunisada” (2016), #72.

SKU: KUC220