Tōken Gonbē

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Tōken Gonbē ["Tōken Gonbē"]

Kinchōrō [Utagawa], Yoshitora [illustrated by].

Shijin [Shiba Daijingū], [Tōkyō]: Aritaya [Seiemon], [ca. Tenpō 14 to Kōka 4 (1843-1847)]. 

Tōken Gonbē was a loyal yet fearsome machiyakko (ruffian street gang) leader whose eventful life eternalised him as a popular kabuki hero after his beheading in 1686. An ally of the street gang leader Banzuiin Chōbē (1622–1657), Tōken took part in and shaped the style and culture of machiyakko, whose motto was "Help the weak and crush the strong". In this print by Yoshitora, Tōken's kimono is patterned with dogs, a reference to the famous episode in which he killed two violent Chinese hounds with his bare hands, earning him the very literal nickname Tōken ("Chinese Dog"). His bag features an image of a snail on a leaf, and a piece of bamboo pokes out from his obi. This work is one print from Yoshitora's Kyōkaku honchō sodachi ("Gallant commoners of our country") series. A quote from the author and playwright Shōtei Kinsui (1797-1863) appears in the top section of the print. Tōken appears as a character in Algernon Mitford's translation of Banzuiin Chōbē titled A story of the Otokodate of Yedo. 

One loose ōban nishiki-e. Wear, creases, and browning to paper. Small chips and light stains to extremities. 37.4 x 25.5 cm. 

Tōken Gonbē
Price: $280.00 (USD)