YOSHIIKU

(1833 - 1904)

YOSHIIKU, "The Seven Lucky Gods"

"The Seven Lucky God's Spring Pleasure"
("Shichifukujin haru gi", "七福神春戯")

1871 





Comment - Scene of the Japan's beloved 'Seven Lucky Gods' during the New Year, sharing the street with other travelers and children flying kites. The 'Kadomatsu pines below the red title cassete on the right panel right margin, as well as the many kites flying in the air and on the ground, indicating a setting around New Year.

At lower right, Bishamonten (毘沙門天) rides in a rickshaw pulled by a man with a tiger's head. A green snake with white sections wound around his neck. Above him, drawn in a horse carriage, Hotei (布袋) with his naked, big, white belly sits in the rear of the cart. Jurōjin (寿老人) may be sitting next to him in the cart. In the center, the Goddess Benzaiten (弁才天 or 弁財天) sits in a rickshaw pulled by a young boy. Benzaiten is accompanied by a black snake with white pattern, wound around her head. Upper left to her, Fukurokuju (福禄寿) with a black round high hat covering his long skull is pulled in a rickshaw by a man-like deer, who is wearing antlers. At lower left, Daikoku (大黒天) with his black hat grins happily, followed by his lucky white rat wearing a red kimono and carrying a wooden box of treasure. The big red fish behind him may be an allusion to Ebisu (恵比寿), drawn by a horse carriage to be seen upper left panel behind the telegraph pole. Ebisu is frequently paired with Daikokuten.

Upper left panel shows a boy's kite featuring Okame, the goddess of mirth, and not a member of the 'Seven Gods of Fortune'. The Edo kite ("Edo-tako", "江戸凧") has become entangled in the telegraph lines. At the foot of the telegraph pole, a boy with a red kimono is holding an Edo kite, a kite spindle is laying in front of him on the ground. Between the horse carriage carrying Hotei, and the rickshaw carrying Benzaiten, another boy in red kimono is carrying a white Edo kite with black kanji on his back ("Kanji kite", "ji tako", "字凧"). Many more Edo kites fill the sky, and the peak of Mt. Fuji rises in the distance.

The title is drawn within the red cassette on the upper right.


Series - ~


Artist - see Biography


Signature
-Ikkeisai Yoshiiku hitzu (一恵斎 芳幾 筆); on all three panels (refer to the telegraph pole, left panel)


Publisher - Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke (辻岡屋文助)  Kinshōdō Publisher's(金松堂) in white cassettes on all three panels with the circular combined censor's and year seals above;


Image Size - 35.2 x 71.4cm  (13 7/8" x 28 1/8") + top margin as shown


Condition - triptych; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e); three panels attached at the seams





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  Copyright 2008 ff: Hans P. Boehme