Mendicant Monk in Katsushika and Others thumbnail 1
Not on display

Mendicant Monk in Katsushika and Others

Painting
1830-1844 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This sheet is a finished design for a print. It is full of images of monsters depicted from two sides. In this sheet, for example, the figures at the top of the sheet are two sides of the same monster, in this case one of the mendicant monks in Katsushika in Edo (modern Tokyo). Both figures have the same outline, but in reverse. People would cut out the figures, glue them back-to-back and play with them. For this reason, prints of this type are extremely rare.

Sadahide's images are full of humour. The word for 'monster' in Japanese means literally 'things that change' (bakemono): the theme is perfectly suited to the format.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Mendicant Monk in Katsushika and Others (generic title)
  • Newly Published Quick Changes: Two-faced Monsters (series title)
Materials and techniques
Ink and colour on paper
Brief description
Painting, 'Mendicant Monk in Katsushika and Others', from the series Newly Published Quick Changes: Two-faced Monsters, ink and colour on paper, by Utagawa Sadahide, Japan, 1830-1844
Physical description
Painting, black and colour, design for a print. It is full of images of monsters depicted from two sides, and each pair has the same outline but in reverse. In this sheet, for example, the figures at the top are two sides of the same monster, in this case one of the mendicant monks in Katsushika in Edo (modern Tokyo), depicted as a figure with extremely big head and animal legs.
Dimensions
  • Height: 375mm
  • Width: 248mm
from Kodansha volume
Styles
Object history
Purchased from Sotheby & Co. (Sale of the Happer Collection), accessioned in 1909. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Bought from sale of Happer Collection at Mssrs Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge.
Subject depicted
Summary
This sheet is a finished design for a print. It is full of images of monsters depicted from two sides. In this sheet, for example, the figures at the top of the sheet are two sides of the same monster, in this case one of the mendicant monks in Katsushika in Edo (modern Tokyo). Both figures have the same outline, but in reverse. People would cut out the figures, glue them back-to-back and play with them. For this reason, prints of this type are extremely rare.

Sadahide's images are full of humour. The word for 'monster' in Japanese means literally 'things that change' (bakemono): the theme is perfectly suited to the format.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
E.2196-1909

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Record createdNovember 9, 2006
Record URL
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