Chikanobu, 24 Paragons of filial piety 22 - Gomo

Toyohara Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)  24 Paragons of Filial Piety #22: Gomo, 1890. Oban.

The book 24 Paragons of Filial Piety was written by Guo Jujing in the Yuan Dynasty. Guo was a renowned poet but also well known for being a pious son in his own right. His grief at the death of his own father prompted him to collect twenty-four examples of exemplary filial stories and compose verse for them. To our eyes, the examples he chooses are ridiculous and at times horrific, but the book remained popular and prompted many ukiyo-e artists to illustrate it, Chikanobu among them. Chikanobu’s prints are mitate-e, satirical and punning pictures. In the upper register is an illustration of the original story and in the main picture, a modern counterpart to the story which uses women to comment upon the original text.

This print illustrates the story of Wu Meng. When eight years old, he would sit with his parents whilst they slept, allowing the mosquitoes to bite him rather than his mother and father who could not afford netting. He did this until one night  he fell asleep and his parents discovered his sacrifice. The Emperor heard of his filial piety and rewarded the family by sending the boy to college. He later became a wizard, and is often depicted riding on a feather fan.

The inset shows the young Wu Meng surrounded by mosquitoes whilst the main picture shows a contented mother and her child who have taken the sensible precaution of lighting a smoking brazier to dispel the insects. Demonstrating the proper relationship between parent and child, Chikanobu shows the woman fanning the mosquitoes away as well, tending to her young child.

This is another fine print from a highly regarded series. Very good impression and condition, the colour faded a little. The original poem reads:

Summer nights and no mosquito netting!
Insects by the thousands, yet he wouldn't raise a hand.
"Let them drink my blood and fill their bellies,
Just don't disturb my parents while they sleep!"

24cm x 36cm.


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£220.00