Top Pick Yoshitoshi: Competition Of Drunks; Entertainer And Riksha Driver (sold) Grab It Now [fLRToV6N]

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Title: Competition of Drunks; Entertainer and Riksha Driver
Series: Comparison of Drunken Stupors (Kigen kurabe)
Date: 1885

An Entertainer (Taikomochi) and a Riksha Driver (Jinrikishafu). The entertainer is caught in mid-story, hand in the air. In front of him are sake cup and bottle and his tobacco pouch. The riksha driver sits on his conveyance, knees apart, and is probably letting loose a litany of complaints. There is no alcohol to be seen in this design. The prints in this rare series concern drunken conversations or monologues by people of various occupations. The writing is by Ryûtei Tanehiko (1783-1842), most famously the author of Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji. This was intended as a chûban series, but here is an uncut example of two designs.

Condition: Very good impression, color and condition. Minor backing remnants.
Dimensions: ôban
Publisher: Nogawa
Literature: Keyes numbers 470.3 and 470.4.
Signature: Ôju Yoshitoshi (giga?)