Kuniyoshi: Actors as sake barrel and sake cup playing ken

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)
Title: Tsukutsuku-ken. Actors as sake and sake cup playing ken  Date: 1847

Actors playing ken. Games of ken have been compared with our culture’s “Rocks, Paper, Scissors”. Ken was often played as a drinking game, and was incorporated into several kabuki plays as a dance interlude. The loser of the game had to drink a cup of sake, so it was considered a game where everybody wins. Prints depicting the game of ken are called ken no e, and Kuniyoshi did a number of them between 1847 and 1853. The actor in back has a head in the shape of a sake bottle, and wears a kimono with a pattern of bells. The actor may be Nakamura Utaemon IV due to his prominent nose. The actor in front with the unusual brown kimono may be Ichikawa Kuzô II.

Condition: Very good impression, color and condition. Fold along left edge
Dimensions: ôban
Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke
Literature: See Sepp Linhart’s article in Andon 83, page15.
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga

SKU: KUY633