Tsuba Theme Meaning Sought

[hddennis]

Waiting for latest purchase to arrive and wonder what does this depict? Sorry for poor pictures but they were taken by seller.

 

Thanks for any help, 

Howard Dennis

[Matsunoki]

The tsuba is an anthropomorphic depiction of rats pretending to be humans in a Daimyo procession.

Thenfuchi is  totally unrelated and appears to show dancers and musicians…possibly children….giving a performance 

[hddennis]

12 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

The tsuba is an anthropomorphic depiction of rats pretending to be humans in a Daimyo procession.

Thenfuchi is  totally unrelated and appears to show dancers and musicians…possibly children….giving a performance 

Thanks for your response. Any hidden meaning or reference to a legend? I couldn't find anything online and wondered why the artist chose this theme?

Howard Dennis

[Matsunoki]

The tsuba subject…rats dressed as humans is actually quite common and very amusing. They are (as here) usually dressed as samurai and carrying naginata, swords, palanquin etc as per real Daimyo processions to Edo.

If really lucky you can sometimes (more rarely) discover  fox depicted in the same way.

Such subjects are quite popular.

The fuchi subject could really be any dance or festival celebration although I think the drum depicted is possibly a small gagaku drum. 

[Matsunoki]

Eg…..

 

[Kanenaga]

Here's a daisho version with foxes.

Wedding procession -- the bride is in the palanquin.

 

[Spartancrest]

https://www.liveauct...t-daimyo-procession/

 

 

https://art.thewalte...-wedding-procession/

 

 

  kozuka

 

https://collection.p...com.au/object/183028

 

 

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

[Toryu2020]

From the Tsuba Gadai Jiten

"In Japanese folklore there is the tale of the mouse/rat that wished to marry up in the world, so he went to the Sun to propose a marriage but the sun said he could not as he was easily blocked out by the cloud, the mouse went to the cloud but he said he could not as he was easily blown away by the wind, the mouse then went to the wind who said he could not as he was easily blocked by plaster walls (Suijibei), the Suijibei said that he could not as the mouse was superior because they were always digging holes to undermine the wall! The moral being not to seek for perceived greener pastures.

 

What probably made this image popular was a picture scroll that told of the rat who married a famed Kyoto beauty, who learning she had been deceived fled to Koya-san to seek refuge. (The wedding is one of the scenes depicted) This is not to be confused with the Fox Wedding which comes from another folklore - keep in mind foxes have long thin faces and pointed ears, while mice have fuller faces and oval ears."