Monkey Trainer on the boat

Data

Monkey Trainer on the boat
Print   (Part of the set: Taisho era subscription prints)

Ippitsusai Buncho

1910s

00024-073
https://mokuhankan.com/collection/index.php?id_for_display=00024-073

Print is Public Domain; Photography is:   Creative Commons License

Description

Under the bridge, there is an anchored boat.

At first glance, we were puzzled by the image: a monkey is sitting on the bridge girder while the string tied to the animal is connected to the boat floating on the river. The boat must be anchored!

Careful observation gradually helped us understand the scene. The man on the far right is playing the drum, a woman is playing the shamisen, and the last man appears to be a monkey trainer. On the half-open fan held by the trainer, a few letters can be seen; it reads Funagaku 船楽, meaning 'musicians playing on a boat'.

Presumably, the musicians are performing with the monkey. The small items hanging on the pole supported by the monkey trainer must be for the monkey performance.

The artist is Ippitsusai Buncho 一筆斎文調.

Another Search

Two Women and a Child Viewing the Full M
Fisherman and Birds