国芳 Kuniyoshi

一勇斎　国芳戯画

『獨り息子に娵八人』

Artist : Kuniyoshi
Title : Eight suitors for one son
Published : Edo 1849(嘉永2年)
Size : 37 × 50 cm
Printed on two sheets in a Diptych format.
The sheet signed 𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘺𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘪 𝘒𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘪 𝘨𝘪𝘨𝘢


An unusual print by 𝘒𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘪 ; the print depicting eight women baying for the attention of 𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘰, however the satire is that they are each as unappealing as the next. 𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘰 is sat behind a screen, looking thoroughly unimpressed by his options.

The title is based on a Japanese proverb, however originally it would have been ”Eight suitors for one daughter”.

𝘒𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘪  has reversed this common theme to show how popular 𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘰 VIII was. 


𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘰 is a stage name taken on by a series of Kabuki actors of the 𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘸𝘢 family, it is the most famous and important name, and receiving it is an honour.

An actor is bestowed at grand naming ceremonies called “shumei” in which a number of actors formally change their name, it is still continues today.