Comment - "A View of Mitsumata and Eitai Bridge Seen from Susaki", shows a triptych of children flying kites along the shore at Susaki in Edo. They carefully tug on the strings as they look upwards, watching the progress of the kites and a small ball hovering high in mid-air. All of the kites are Edo style kites ("Edo tako", "江戸 凧"). Most of them carry kanji characters ("Kanji kite", "ji tako", "字凧"). One of the kites features a design of a samurai with a tiger (upper third right side). Another kite features Daruma (uper side, third from right). Daruma is traditionally credited as the emissary of Zen Buddhism. The current popular symbolism is associated with Daruma as a lucky charm. Notice the young boy at left in the gray yukata garment, whose upper arm is covered with a large tattoo. In the lower center are two sets of girls playing a ball game. Three other girls are holding hanetsuki rackets. A hanetsuki ball is to bee seen high in the air on the right panel (to be seen between the ships and above the dark blue waters). Playing kites and hanetsuki is a typical pasttime for New Year's Day. On the lower right panel, reflecting his love for felines, a red and white cat is snuggling itself on the beach, just in front of the two haetsuki playing girls. Note the soft bokashi shading in the sky. The water has changing colours. The deep blue colours are only to be seen in the first edition. The title of the triptych is within the multi lobed cartouche on the upper right panel.


Series - "Famous Views of Edo" ("Edo shôkei", "江戸所景")


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga (一勇斎国芳画)  on all three panels lower right panel in the center near the red and white cat


Publisher - Sano-ya Kihei (佐野屋喜兵衛) (on all three panels within the small gray-brown cassettes)


Image Size - 36.15 x 76.2 cm  (14 1/4" x 30")


Condition - tritych, three single panels; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);