Series of Caricatures of Catfish

(Dôke namazu zukushi, 道外なまず尽し)

Publisher: Ki-ya Sôjirô

c. 1849-1851

The images below are Kuniyoshi’s original final drawings (hanshita-e) for a series that was never published as woodblock prints. This series is not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). Two images were drawn on a sheet of paper, about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. If the series had been printed, each print would have been about 7 by 10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters, a size known as chûban. Each sheet is signed Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi kyôga (Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi crazy picture, 一勇斎 國芳 狂画). I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his contributions to this section.

	Top title: Tako no Dôzuki (Compacting with an Octopus) Top description: Six catfish construction workers compact the construction site with the concerted help of a huge octopus. The placard reads “fishermen prohibited” (tsurishi kinsei), rather than the usual “women prohibited”. Bottom title: Odoriko dôjô-ji (Dancer of the Dôjô-ji Dance) Bottom description: A fish in the costume of a dôjô-ji dance under a large bell temple bell
	Top title: Sanjô kogani (Small Crab of Sanjô) Top description: A crab blacksmith hammers a sword in front of a Shinto altar. Sanjô kogani is a pun on noh play Sanjô Kokaji with a catfish as Inari Ôkami. Bottom title: Omi no Okane (Okane from Ômi Province) Bottom description: A catfish as the strong-woman Okane, restrains a horse, made of gourds, by stepping on its lead rope.
	Top title: Top description: A catfish on his back after a fall Bottom title: Bottom description: Catfish pulling a boat with other catfish as passengers I am grateful to Michael O'Clair for this image.
	Top title: Top description: Catfish looking at a picture of another catfish as Mongaku under the waterfall bottom Bottom title: Octopus Husband and Wife Rocks Bay (Tako no futami-ga ura) Bottom description: Catfish looking at the husband-and-wife rocks
	Top title: Collection of mon (Mon zukushi) Top description: Catfish as entertainers with mon (crests) formed by catfish Bottom title: Bottom description: Catfish farmer using their whiskers to hang bird-scarers I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

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