#44 Kuwana Funanori Tokuzō no Den (The Story of Funanori Tokuzō and the Sea Ghost at Kuwana, #44)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, artist

1797–1861

Kojimaya Jubei, publisher

#44 Kuwana Funanori Tokuzō no Den (The Story of Funanori Tokuzō and the Sea Ghost at Kuwana, #44), circa 1845–1846, Edo period (1600–1868)

Portfolio/Series title: Tōkaidō gojūsantsui (The 53 Parallels of the Tōkaidō Road)

Where object was made: Japan

Material/technique: color woodcut

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 238 x 221 mm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 9 3/8 x 8 11/16 in
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 357 x 239 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 14 1/16 x 9 7/16 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 19 x 14 in

Credit line: Gift of H. Lee Turner

Accession number: 1968.0001.067

Not on display

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Label texts

Exhibition Label:
"Images of the Journey," Jun-2005, Hillary Pedersen
This series was an unusual collaboration between three artists: Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), Kunisada (1786-1864), Hiroshige (1797-1858), and six different publishers. The series depicts the same 53 stations along the To-kaido- that Hiroshige and Kunisada depicted in their series (see related prints in this exhibition), but this version pairs the specific locales with images from folklore, fairy tales, historical traditions, or scenes of local interest. In this image for the Kuwana station, the sailor Tokuzo- sets sail on the unlucky last day of the year. A storm rages and a sea monster appears from the waves. In a booming voice this sea ghost asks the sailor, “What is the most horrible thing you know?” Tokuzō replies, “My profession!” and the sea monster, satisfied with this answer, disappears, taking the stormy weather with him.

Archive Label date unknown:
This set of prints of official rest stops along the well-travelled Eastern Sea Road that connected the capital of Edo (present-day Tokyo) with Kyoto was a collaborative effort. The artists Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige and Kunisada all designed pictures for the set and at least five publishers were involved in its publication. In this depiction of Kuwana Bay, the simple, stark figure of a sea ghost presides over high waves and a wildly pitching boat. The complex arrangement of the various inscriptions at the top of the print adds to the feeling of frenzy, danger and disorder.

Woodblock artists drew preliminary sketches which were then pasted on a succession of blocks of well-seasoned cherry wood (one for each color) and carved by a specialist. Other specialists did the actual printing. This is a particularly fine impression, with careful overprinting on the tops of the waves.