Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) Selections for the Twelve Zodiac Signs (Mitate junishi no uchi): Horse (uma) 1852. Oban.
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In 1852 Kuniyoshi executed a remarkable series called The Selection for the Twelve Signs. In the tradition of avoiding the frequent prohibitions on portraying actors in woodblock prints, Kuniyoshi chose to set well-known kabuki theatre stars in dramatic roles whilst nominally illustrating the animals of the Buddhist zodiac - you can see the horse in the banner behind the portrait head.
The Buddhist zodiac consists of twelve animals: rat, bull (or ox), tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, goat, monkey, cock, dog and boar. There is a story that only these twelve animals came when called by Buddha, and this is the order in which they came. These animals, including the rat and serpent, have a better reputation in Buddhist countries than in the West. In this series of prints, a large bust portrait of an actor in character is combined with a smaller full-length portrait of another actor from the same play. In most of the series tiny images of the appropriate animal of the zodiac surround an irregularly shaped title cartouche in the right upper corner. In this print, the enigmatic tethered horse appears as a banner in the background.
The real subject of this print then is not the zodiac but the portrait of Bandô Shuka I as Yoshikado’s sister, Takiyasha holding a naginata, with Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Yoshikado, from the play, Azuma dairi hana mo Yoshikado. It is not possible to find the script from that drama but the sibling’s mythic story is well known nevertheless. Taro Yoshikado plays a role in Monzaemon Chikamatsu's final work, The Tethered Steed, which debuted in the first month of 1724. Yoshikado was the son of Taira no Masakado (d. 940) who led an unsuccessful insurrection against the Heian court in the mid-tenth century. Yoshikado was the leader of a gang of robbers. However the play presents him as a noble opponent of high lineage. In the intervening centuries he became credited with magical powers… note the spider web kimono he is wearing, and his sister - Takiyasha - was proficient at toad magic. The significance of all of this is the vengeance drama of the siblings redeeming the reputation of the clan… and incidentally the banner of their wronged father. The father’s banner was illustrated by his symbol - the tethered steed - clearly seen here with a rope line from bridle to ground post. Here the mitate or ‘puzzle’ is nicely made. The reference to the horse is obscure, visible but disguised in the background. Foreknowledge is required to untangle the true meaning.
This is a great print, from a rare series. The print scarcely comes to market and this copy is a fine impression in very good condition. Colour is excellent, the print is unbacked and trimmed to the image. A similarly preserved copy of the print is in the British Museum, London.
Publisher: Kakumoto-ya Kinjirô.
36 x 24 cm.
