Prints, Drawings, and Photographs Thieving Hawk's Sudden Attack (Sarai tonbi), from the series Comic Goldfish (Kingyō zukushi) Made in Japan, AsiaEdo Period (1615-1868), c. 1839-42 Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Japanese, 1797 - 1861 Color woodcut Currently not on view 1946-51-75 Gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., 1946 |
LabelThe "hawk" of the title is actually a goldfish, who has seized a small gold object and is seen here flying over the head of the spectators towards a stone statue of a monkey. In Japanese, the first word of the title is a pun on two other words, one meaning "snatching," the other meaning "worshiping the Buddha," here irreverently represented by a seated monkey. |
