Honchō Furisode no Hajime: Susanoo-no-Mikoto Yōkai Gōbuku no Zu

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本朝振袖之始 素盞烏尊妖怪降伏之圖 [Honchō Furisode no Hajime: Susanoo-no-Mikoto Yōkai Gōbuku no Zu, “Susanoo no Mikoto Subdues the Yōkai in Honchō Furisode no Hajime”]

Edogawa [Katsushika], Hokki [illustrated by].

[Japan: unidentified publisher, ca. Kaei 4 (1851)].

A yoko-ōban nishiki-e by Katsushika Hokki (years of birth and death unknown), a pupil of Hokusai active in the early 19th century. This comical Hokki print shows Susanoo no Mikoto exorcising yōkai with the help of the goddess Kushinadahime, who holds up a mirror to scare the creatures away. The yōkai kneeling before Susanoo no Mikoto are signing a right of veto with their handprints. The print is thought to parody the 1851 revival of wholesale businesses which had been disbanded during the Tenpō Reforms. The production of the print was controlled due to its satirical depiction of the economic climate, but was nevertheless reprinted due to considerable popularity. A "catfish version" of the print (titled 大地震妖怪神宮退治之図 (Dai Jishin Yōkai Shingū Taiji no Zu, "Monsters of the Great Earthquake Vanquished by the Gods")), in which the yōkai in the lower section are replaced with anthropomorphic catfish and a huge catfish in the top right-hand corner spits at the yōkai in the top left, was issued around Ansei 2 (1855). In Japanese mythology, a huge underground catfish is believed to cause earthquakes, and the catfish version of the print was published in response to the Edo earthquake in the same year. The work is similar in its split composition with Kuniyoshi's 源頼光公館土蜘作妖怪圖 (Minamoto no Yorimitsu-kō no Yakata ni Tsuchigumo Yōkai o Nasu Zu, "The Earth Spider Conjures up Demons at the Mansion of Minamoto no Yorimitsu").

This print is still largely unknown in the West but was catalogued by Frederick W. Gookin (1853-1936), an ukiyo-e scholar and the curator of the Art Institute of Chicago, in the book Rare and Valuable Japanese Color Prints: the Collection of the Late Alexis Rouart of Paris (1922) as number 648: "Honcho Furisode no Hajime. 'The Origin of the Long Sleeve.' An amusing caricature in which many strange goblins are introduced". The work is erroneously attributed to "Edogawa Hokuten" in the catalogue. Two 1851 prints are held outside of Japan, one at the MFA and one at the Art Institute of Chicago. Only one other printed work by Hokki is known - an illustration in Kyōka Kuni-zukushi (狂歌国尽, "Kyōka on the Provinces" (ca. 1810)), a book overseen by Hokusai, signed 寸松改北輝筆 ([Sunshō?] aratame Hokki hitsu) in the block. The MFA also attributes an aka-e print to Hokki, but this is almost certainly by the artist Katsushika Hokumei. A scarce print of robot-like yōkai by a little-known pupil of Hokusai.

One colour woodblock-printed leaf, complete. Small tear to face, neatly repaired. Reinforced with thin washi backing. Light fold to centre. Remains of a previously affixed print to trimmed lower margin. One or two small marks. Paper slightly curled. Very good to near fine, nevertheless. 23.7 x 36 cm. Text in Japanese.

Honchō Furisode no Hajime: Susanoo-no-Mikoto Yōkai Gōbuku no Zu
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