Artist: Nabeta Gyokuei [鍋田玉英] (Japanese, 1847 – after 1902)
Signed: Gyokuei (玉英) with red seal
Publisher: Iseya Sōemon (伊勢屋惣右衛門, active 1776–1862); red seal on the lantern: 上 (Ue) under a double roof (Marks 02-041 | 156a)
Date: Meiji period, 1880s
Media: Woodblock colour print, chūban uchiwa-e (fan print), 245 × 250 mm
Fan-shaped composition divided diagonally into two contrasting scenes, reminiscent of
Yin and Yang:
- Upper: 陰 (in) — illusion, night, spirit world, fantasy
- Lower: 陽 (yō) — reality, day, natural world, sensory experience
The
upper section presents a stylized
kitsune no gyōretsu (狐の行列, fox procession), a popular motif in Japanese folklore. Silhouetted against a backdrop resembling driving rain, a line of anthropomorphic foxes marches in step, carrying
naginata (薙刀), swords, and boxes. The figures parody a grand procession of a
daimyō (feudal chieftain) and his entourage
en route from their home province to Edo. This part of the print represents an illusory world of supernatural creatures and may reflect a human’s enchanted vision under the fox’s spell.
The lead fox bears a lantern marked with the publisher’s seal 上 (Ue) beneath a double roof—cleverly incorporated as an in-world object. This subtle act of visual metafiction merges the real-world production of the print with the fantasy it depicts. It playfully suggests that even the mechanisms of publishing participate in the creation of illusion, echoing the roles of artists, storytellers, and fox spirits alike.
The
lower section contrasts sharply in tone and style. It depicts a naturalistic domestic setting with a cat crouching beside a bowl of swimming goldfish and a decorative ball (
temari, 手毬). The cat peers intently at the bowl—its eyes wide and body tense—in predatory anticipation. This scene's vivid, grounded realism contrasts the monochrome dreamscape above, reinforcing the boundary between visible reality and the realm of illusion.
