Miscellaneous Prints of Children

 

Prints of children account for a small fraction of ukiyo-e prints.  Some of these show karako (boys in ancient Chinese dress).  This genre includes the series listed as 65, 81, 109, 114, 116, 119, 123, 129, 132, 136, 138, 142, and 146 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).  I am grateful to Ward Pieters for assisting with this section.

 

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Series: Children Playing with Firemen’s Standards (Kodomo asobi matoi zukushi, 子供遊纏づくし)

Subtitle: Second Brigade (Nibangumi, 二番組)

Robinson: Not listed

Size: Chûban (about 10 by 7 inches or 25 by 18 centimeters

Date: 1842-1846 (censor Watanabe Shôemon)

Publisher: Unidentified

 

NOTE: A matoi () was a flag or standard used by firemen in the Edo period.

 

Series: Children Playing with Firemen’s Standards (Kodomo asobi matoi zukushi, 子供遊纏づくし)

Subtitle: Second Brigade (Nibangumi, 二番組)

Robinson: Not listed

Size: Chûban (about 10 by 7 inches or 25 by 18 centimeters

Date: 1842-1846 (censor Watanabe Shôemon)

Publisher: Unidentified

 

 

Series:

Robinson: Not listed

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Children playing with a firemen’s standard

Date: c. 1841-1842

Publisher: Unidentified

 

 

Series: Kyôto Children as Tradesmen (Keishi kodomo akindo, 京師子供商人)

Robinson: 138

Title: None

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: A wood gatherer

Date: c. 1840

Publisher: No seal

 

NOTE: This design is also used in the series Fashionable Series of Children’s Dances.  I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image

 

Title: A Collection of Children’s Dances (Kodomo odori zukushi, 子供踊尽), Shirafuji (白ふじ)

Description: Child as the sumô wrestler Shirafuji Genta in a scene from the kabuki play Hanakawado migawari no dan (花川戸身替の段)

Date: c. 1840

Publisher: Nuno-Kichi

 

 

 

Title: A Collection of Children’s Dances (Kodomo odori zukushi, 子供踊尽), Shizuka (志ずか)

Description: Child as Shizuka Gozen holding a drum

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

 

 

 

 

Title: A Collection of Children’s Dances (Kodomo odori zukushi, 子供踊尽), Tadanobu (忠信)

Description: Boy as Tadanobu holding a straw hat

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

 

NOTE: This print and the preceding print of a child as Shizuka Gozen may have been intended as a diptych.  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. 

 

Title: A Collection of Children’s Dances (Kodomo odori zukushi, 子供踊尽)

Description: Child as actor in female role holding a fan and standing by a river

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

 

 

unlisted  SC136487

 

Series: The Four Social Classes in Children’s Games (Kodomo asobi shi-nô-kô-shô, 子供遊士農工商)

Robinson: Not listed

Title: Shi () Samurai

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description:

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Katô-ya Iwazô

 

0194200437

 

Series: Children’s Games for the Five Festivals (Osana asobi go sekku no uchi, 稚遊五節句之内

Robinson: Not listed

Title: Ninth month (菊月)

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Boys wrestling

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Wakasa-ya Yoichi

 

Series:

Robinson: Not listed

Title:

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Fulling (removing creases from cloth)

Date: c. 1840

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

Kuniyoshi -  24 Paragons of Filial Piety Illustrated by Different Social Classes (Shi-no-ko-sho nijushiko no uchi), Pub

 

Robinson: Not listed

Title: 24 Paragons of Filial Piety Illustrated by Different Social Classes (Shi-no-ko-sho nijushiko no uchi, 士農工商 当世廿四孝の内)

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Four children performing various household chores, under a full moon

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei

 

Description: 7-year-old Naniwa Kamekichi (七歳上乗浪花亀吉), 9-year-old Naniwa Matsunosuke (九歳曲持浪花松之助), and 12-year-old Naniwa Mayoshi (十二歳足芸浪花馬吉) performing acrobatics

Date: c. 1833

Publisher: Mori-ya Jihei

 

Text: Performance at the West Ryogoku Hirokoji (西両国広小路において興行仕候) On top 7-year-old Naniwa Kamekichi, ashigei (foot juggler) 9-year-old Naniwa Matsunosuke, and kyokumochi (foot acrobat) 12-year-old Naniwa Mayoshi (七歳上乗浪花亀吉, 九歳曲持浪花松之助, 十二歳足芸浪花馬吉)

Date: c. 1833

Publisher:

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Kuniyoshi - SC138186

 

Series: None

Robinson: Not listed

Title: None

Size: Chûtanzakuban (about 14 by 5 inches or 36 by 13 centimeters)

Description: Children dancing and flying kites

Date: 1841-1842

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

 

Series: Children at Play (Kodomo asobi no uchi, 子供あそびの内)

Robinson: Not listed

Title: 3rd month (三月)

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Two children with doll and chrysanthemum plant

Date: c. 1844

Publisher: Nuno-Kichi

 

Series: Children at Play (Kodomo asobi no uchi, 子供あそびの内)

Robinson: Not listed

Title: 6th month (六月)

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Boys holding a miniature Tennô Festival float

Date: c. 1844

Publisher: Nuno-Kichi

 

 

Series: Precious Children (Kodakara asobi, 子宝遊) Robinson: Not listed

Title: Imitating Ebisu and Jurôjin (見立七福神 寿老ゑびす)

Size: Unknown

Description: Children as the Lucky Gods Ebisu and Jurôjin

Date: c. 1842

Publisher: Katô-ya Iwazô

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

 

Series: A Collection of Children’s Dances (Kodomo odori zukushi, 子どもおどりつくし)

Robinson: Not listed

Title: Hahasodachi yukima no uguisu, 母育雪間鶯)

Description: Kaidômaru (怪童丸) dancing 

Date: 1847-1848 (censors Hama and Kinugasa)

Publisher: Ebisu-ya Shôshichi

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the above design.

Title: None

Size: Chûban about 7 by 10 inches (18 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Hotei leading a parade of children holding lanterns

Date: 1840

Publisher: Enshû-ya Matabei

Description: Children playing in the snow

Size: Nagaban (approximately 8 by 20 inches or 20 by 50 centimeters)

Date: 1826

 

Series:

Title: Goban ningyô (碁盤人形)

Robinson: Not listed

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Children with puppet on go board

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Nuno-Kichi

 

NOTE: A goban ningyô is a type of doll designed to perform on a go board.

 

 

Series:

Title: Dolls for Hinamatsuri (Hina ningyô, 雛人形)

Robinson: Not listed

Size: Ôban (about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters)

Description: Girls preparing Emperor and Ebisu dolls for display on the wooden stands

Date: 1840-1842

Publisher: Nuno-Kichi

 

NOTE: Hinamatsuri is better known as the girls’ festival or the doll festival.  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. 

Title: None

Size: Unknown

Description: Children playing as fireme

Date: c. 1830

Publisher: This print has the seals of both Yamamoto-ya Heikichi and Kaga-ya Kichibei

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

 

“Robinson” refers to listing of the series in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). 

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