Ukiyo-e: The Lucky Teapot of Temple Morin

This woodblock print, by the amazing artist Yoshitoshi Tuskioka, is an iconic work for me. Compressed into it's lines and shapes are many favorite symbols and a certain peace and humor. The waving grasses visible through the window flicker in the moonlight while the ambience of a steaming teapot, the strewn books and the the tanuki's peaceful and knowing grin confirm a quiet happiness with life.

The creature depicted is puzzling. Badgers have a mischevious place in Nipponese legend; however a shape-shifting fox (kitsune) or a racoon dog (tanuki) might also be shown.

The story connected with the picture is a popular one, though like most tales, told in many ways. In all versions the tanuki and the teapot are the same, shifting back and forth in form. John Stevenson, in his book, Yoshitoshi's Thirty-Six Ghosts, Weatherhill, New York and Tokyo, 1983 gives a recounting of the tale as well as the symbols in the work.

This is a first edition impression of the work - one can tell by the three colored cartouche in the upper right corner. Later editions had only two or one color. The print is from the series New Forms of 36 Ghosts 1889-1892. The Ghosts series was Yoshitoshi's last major series of works - the last few were published post-humously.