Kunichika - Bat Umbrella Bandit

Toyohara Kunichika

This bold red print depicts the actor Sadanji Ichikawa playing the character of Akatsuki Hoshigoro, a bandit and magician who operated in the Kanto and Kansai areas using his "fire magic" to harass daimyo retainers. The surprising aspect of this print is his demonic bat-shaped hood.

This is from the print series “Twenty-four Examples of the New Civilization” (開化廿四好), a series in which the artist pairs kabuki portraits with small scenes presenting modern inventions or modernized activities from the Meiji era - note the Western umbrella in the inset image.

Date: 1877

Publisher: Kobayashi Tetsujiro

Condition: Great color and condition, backed with Edo-era paper.

Genre: Ukiyo-e