Utagawa Kunisada/Toyokuni III (1786-1865) Jiraiya and Toad, 1850’s. Koban.
This is a delightful little print of the magician Jiraiya (Young Thunder) and companion floating on a supernatural cloud with a giant toad. Jiraiya, who always appears with a giant toad, was a folk hero of Japan, pictured in the Great Heroes series of Kuniyoshi and a famed magician. He fell in love with Tsunade another magician who was the master of snail magic and together they vanquished the villainous Orochimaru another shape-shifter who turned himself into a giant snake. There’s little information here other than the loveliness of the design and the mysterious subject.
Condition colour and impression all good. Note this print is the small koban size.
4.75” x 7”
SOLD
