Kiyochika: Humorous Double Chuban (Sold)

Artist: Kobayashi Kiyochika
Title: Humorous Double Chuban
Date: The date at left is blank

Two related scenes showing three painted entities coming alive and departing from the confines of their paintings. The cartouches contain the numbers 12 and 11 (bottom), but the “grass style” writing is almost impossible to read. Assuming that this is the order, then the bottom image comes first. The green woman carrying a sack seems to be entreating the red figure holding a bell at left, and the naked man with the blackened face has fallen on his back on the floor, breaking the actual ceramics on the floor. The “real” man at right is just waking up from a nap, so does not see their activities. In the upper scene, he has woken up, put on his hat and is astonished to see the broken crockery and the figures back in their paintings. Figures coming alive in paintings has a storytelling precedent in Japan.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban
Literature: Unknown series
Signature: Kiyochika

SKU: KYC224