Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861)

Series Title: Hodomoyoshi’s Fashionable Ôtsu Pictures

(Hodoyoshi toki ni Ôtsu-e, 程芳流行大津絵

Date: c. 1845–1846 (Late Edo Period).

Dimensions: Standard Ōban tate-e format (approximately 36 x 24 cm)

Medium: Traditional polychrome woodblock print (moku-hanga)

Brief Description: The main scene shows a tense conflict where the woman traps the man's head using an inverted bucket. The upper left inset features a small humorous scene where a demon shaves the elongated head of the god Fukurokuju.

Condition: The actual condition of the ukiyo-e is clearly shown in the images. We recommend reviewing all photos in detail before purchasing.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) is widely celebrated as one of the last great masters of the ukiyo-e style and one of the most innovative minds of the late Edo period. His true impact lay in breaking contemporary aesthetic molds through unprecedented compositional dynamism, bold perspectives, and a sharp dramatic sense. Kuniyoshi completely revolutionized the warrior print genre (musha-e) by depicting heroic battles imbued with an almost cinematic energy, while simultaneously excelling brilliantly in the representation of supernatural folklore, mythological creatures (yōkai), and complex political satires disguised as humorous scenes. His astonishing creative flexibility, combined with his famous fondness for portraying cats in ingenious compositions, not only massively influenced subsequent generations of illustrators but is also considered today by academics and art historians as a direct conceptual precursor to modern manga and Japanese animation.