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Cat with Head in Bag (above); Cats Attacking Mice (below); from the series The War of Cats and Mice (Neko nezumi kassen)

Cat with Head in Bag (above); Cats Attacking Mice (below); from the series The War of Cats and Mice (Neko nezumi kassen)

(Japanese, 1839–1892)
(Japanese)
1859 (Ansei 6), 9th month
Medium/TechniqueWoodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
DimensionsTwo horizontal chûban on uncut vertical ôban sheet; 37.1 x 25.8 cm (14 5/8 x 10 3/16 in.)
Credit LineWilliam Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession number11.37781
On View
Not on view
ClassificationsPrints
Description

The artist Yoshitoshi, whose usual specialty was serious depictions of historic warriors, has envisioned the eternal war between cats and mice as a grand epic of battling samurai clans in six small, humorous vignettes. The mice often defeat the cats by such means as frightening them with a large toy dog, trapping them in paper snack bags, or stealing food while the cat on watch dozes off.

ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850–d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 19, 2005)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.
Bewitching Foxes at the Mimeguri Shrine on the Sumida Embankment (Sumida-zutsumi Mimeguri yashiro nogitsune no yukai), from the series Famous Places and Humorous Images of Modern Life in Tokyo (Tôkyô kaika kyôga meisho)
Bewitching Foxes at the Mimeguri Shrine on the Sumida Embankment (Sumida-zutsumi Mimeguri yashiro nogitsune no yukai), from the series Famous Places and Humorous Images of Modern Life in Tokyo (Tôkyô kaika kyôga meisho)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1881 (Meiji 14), January 6
Liu Bei, also called Xuande (Ryûbi ji Gentoku)
Liu Bei, also called Xuande (Ryûbi ji Gentoku)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1866 (Keiô 2), 5th month
A Shop Boy Takes a Nap in Ueno Park ( (Ueno kôenchi kozô no hirune, above); At Shinobazu Benten Shrine, the Thunder God Falls into the Lotus Pond (Shinobazeu Benten Kaminari hasuike e ochiru, below); from the series Famous Places and Humorous Images of Modern Life in Tokyo (Tôkyô kaika kyôga meisho)
A Shop Boy Takes a Nap in Ueno Park ( (Ueno kôenchi kozô no hirune, above); At Shinobazu Benten Shrine, the Thunder God Falls into the Lotus Pond (Shinobazeu Benten Kaminari hasuike e ochiru, below); from the series Famous Places and Humorous Images of Modern Life in Tokyo (Tôkyô kaika kyôga meisho)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1881 (Meiji 14), January 6
The Procession of a Princess: Morning View of Takanawa, a Famous Place in Edo (Himegimi gyôretsu no zu, Edo meisho Takanawa no asa no kei)
The Procession of a Princess: Morning View of Takanawa, a Famous Place in Edo (Himegimi gyôretsu no zu, Edo meisho Takanawa no asa no kei)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1864 (Bunkyû 4/Genji 1), 10th month
Taira Shinnô Sôma Masakado, from the series One Hundred Stories of Bravery in Our Country (Honchô hyakuyû den)
Taira Shinnô Sôma Masakado, from the series One Hundred Stories of Bravery in Our Country (Honchô hyakuyû den)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1862 (Bunkyû 2), intercalary 8th month
Sasaki Moritsuna and His Troops Crossing the Inland Sea
Sasaki Moritsuna and His Troops Crossing the Inland Sea
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1865 (Genji 2/Keiô 1), intercalary 5th month
The Loyal Samurai Break into the Mansion in the Night Attack (Gishi youchi rannyû no zu)
The Loyal Samurai Break into the Mansion in the Night Attack (Gishi youchi rannyû no zu)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1864 (Bunkyû 4/Genji 1), 4th month
Fuwa Kazuemon Masatane, age 34 (by Yoshitoshi); and Actor Sawamura Tosshô II as ... Saizaburô (by Kunichika), from the series True Portraits and Theatrical Scenes in Pairs for the Iroha Syllabary (Shinzô gekijô iroha awase)
Fuwa Kazuemon Masatane, age 34 (by Yoshitoshi); and Actor Sawamura Tosshô II as ... Saizaburô (by Kunichika), from the series True Portraits and Theatrical Scenes in Pairs for the Iroha Syllabary (Shinzô gekijô iroha awase)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1869 (Meiji 2), 2nd month
Yuigahama, from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi
Yuigahama, from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1863 (Bunkyû 3), 5th month
Kanasugi Bridge at Shibaura (Kanasugibashi Shibaura), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô
Kanasugi Bridge at Shibaura (Kanasugibashi Shibaura), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1863 (Bunkyû 3), 5th month
Ishibe, from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô
Ishibe, from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1863 (Bunkyû 3), 4th month
Miidera Temple in Ôtsu (Ôtsu Miidera), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô
Miidera Temple in Ôtsu (Ôtsu Miidera), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
1863 (Bunkyû 3), 5th month