
Utagawa Kuninao 歌川國直Japan, 1793–1854Må man se det?
London, Storbritannien
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This sheet shows the finished designs for a small printed book, the coloured panel representing the front cover. Usually aimed at children, such books were popular in Japan towards the end of the Edo period (1615-1868). In these illustrations, the artist Kuninao tells the story of a two mice in search of a bridegroom for their daughter.
Social status was an important factor in marriage during the Edo period. Among the higher social classes, prospective partners would be selected by one's parents or relatives. The wedding itself was a formal affair with strict social etiquette and gift-giving traditions to be observed. As these designs show, the situation was no different for the mice in this story!
This sheet is a copyist's drawing and would have been copied from Kuninao's original sketches. The copyist's drawing is usually destroyed when the initial printing block is carved. The survival of this sheet suggests that the designs were never realised as finished prints.
Victoria and Albert Museum