Collections Database

Description:
vertical ōban; nishiki-e

Label Text:
The title of this print is a reference to a famous story in Japanese theatre, especially in kyōgen theatre, of an old fox who, following the deaths of his entire family, assumes human form to plead with hunters to cease killing foxes. This reference accounts for Kiyochika's deformation of the Russian man, who is depicted on his hands and knees with large fox-like ears, with the unsuspecting (and smoking) Chinese man representing the potential prey — hence his proximity to the rooster. The hand at right prepares to tighten the trap, with just enough sleeve showing to allow the viewer to identify the Japanese Imperial uniform.

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+2005.716.3

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.