Kuniyoshi: Gama Sennin and Frog Magic (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)
Title: Soma ni Taro Yoshikado wa chichi no metsubo no toki tosai...

Gama Sennin Instructing Taro Yoshikado 太郎良門 and Princess Takiyasha in the fine art of toad magic. Gama Sennin is the toad immortal, and here they appear almost like an old woman, with their long hair fashioned from a toad-faced pelt and appearing in a toad-like body. Here the magician demonstrates their magic, causing the image of a young woman to materialize on their breath. Gama Sennin, the Toad Immortal, is based upon the Chinese Immortal Liu Hai, the Sage with the Toad on his back, a benign sage with great magical powers. Kuniyoshi has outdone himself with the cave of Gama Sennin, as all the rocklike outcroppings are comprised of frogs, and a giant frog spectre hovers over the magician. In the center panel, Yoshikado has been consulting a scroll of some sort, and looks up in surprise, his hands in the “astonished” gesture that Kuniyoshi favored. The motivation of the two young people is of course vengeance for a murdered loved one. A scarce design.

Condition: Excellent impression; very good color and condition. Untrimmed and unbacked.
Dimensions: ôban triptych (38 x 77.5 cm)
Publisher: Ezaki-ya Tasuzo
Literature: See Harvard Art Museum, Hood Museum of Art, Robinson number T166.
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga

SKU: KUY548