Utagawa Yoshifuji (1828 - 1889) Defeating the Measles Demon, 1864. Oban.
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This strange looking print is an early piece of Japanese propaganda. The gigantic figure that looks like it has wandered in from Gulliver's Travels is a representation of the measles virus. The figure is being brought down by well-meaning townspeople armed with bars of carbolic, buckets, mops and water… the copy is an exhortation to avoid bathing, eating freshwater fish or drinking sake and instead to eat fresh friuit and vegetables. It is a very collectible piece, these sickness prints are considered to be rare and therefore highly desirable.
At the end of the Edo period, measles outbreaks swept the city every ten years on average. During the 1862 epidemic, the authorities issued informed publications about healing and disease prevention and this print is a reflection of that concern. The print bears many similarities to a Kuniyoshi diptych that also pits the people against a gigantic entity.
The 1862 epidemic was the most devastating in Japanese history; there had been very bad outbreaks before in 1753 and 1823, but 1862 saw huge numbers succumb to the illness and greater than ever fatalities. The Japanese had very little immunity to the virus and the previous outbreak had been 26 years earlier, making anyone under that age particularly susceptible. The epidemic was introduced to Japan by foreign sailors, increasing the hostility of the Japanese towards overseas contact. It is extremely notable that in this print, Yoshifuji has pictured the Measles virus as a Westerner: large, cumbersome, spotty, ugly and hairy. These were all the characteristics that the Japanese despised in the foreigner.
This is a rare and important print. Condition is an issue, with some wear and surface damage, some fading and edge damage. The impression is good though and overall the print is a good looking thing. The price reflects the condition. Toshidama Gallery rarely sells prints in this condition, but we do make an exception with very rare or outstanding items like this. There is a copy in the MFA Boston.
Published by Minatoya Kohei.
