Comment - KOBAYASHI Kiyochika was a successful woodblock artist, famous for humorous scenes. His woodblock print "Writer, Kite Flyer, Flea watcher, Angler" caricatures "life's many phases". This is reflected by the title of the series. The kite flyer in the upper right has lost his toy, thinking "Ah, it flew away...". Therefore there is no kite to be seen.

From left top to right bottom : "Sakusha no Hitorigoto" (Monologue of a Writer; humm.., what do I want to say?). "Tako Tobashi" (Kite Flyer; Ah, it flew away...). "Nomitori manako" (Looking for fleas; oh ..., I lost it again). "Angler" (I could get a big one this time).


Series - KOBAYASHI Kiyochika produced a successful compilation of humorous gestures and faces titled "New Thirty-two Faces" (Shinban Sanju-ni So"). Because of the popularity of the series, he made additional designs and combined them into a new series named "Additional Life's Many Phases" ("追加百面相", "Tsuika Hyaku Men Sō"), sometimes translated as "Addition: 100 Faces".


Artist - see Biography


Signature - "Kiyochika" ("清親") on the lower left inset.


Publisher -  Morimoto Junzaburo (森本順三郎)


Image Size - Image Size - 24.0cm X 35.5.5cm    (9.4" x 14.0") 


Condition - single sheet; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);