Kunisada: Jiraiya Floating on a Cloud Triptych (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada
Title: Jiraiya Appearing on a Cloud
Date: 1852

Most likely a scene from the kabuki play “Later Story of Hero Jiraiya“ (Jiraiya gojitsu banashi). Jiraiya as Niji-no-yama,  a mendicant Zen priest of Fuke sect. He flies into the scene on a cloud and stands next to a large stone, bound with a rope, of which one end is in the hand of the old woman, baba no Okowa, who is about to cut the rope with a big knife. Her daughter Kosono holds the right leg of Okowa in order to stop her cutting the rope.  Hamaogi Rokusaburó draws his sword at left.  The scene takes place in an old house in winter.

SKU: KUS407