Artist: Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831–1889), signed Shōjō Kyōsai 惺々狂斎 Title: Sea Monster and Giant Clam Series: Kyōsai Hyaku Zu (One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai) Date: Japan, 1863–1866 (late Edo period, Bunkyū–Keiō era) Publisher: Ōkura Magobei Format: Kuban (small format), approx. 18 × 12 cm Signature: Shōjō Kyōsai 惺々狂斎 Condition Excellent impression with crisp lines and strong colour Light toning consistent with age Very well preserved Description A wonderfully chaotic sheet from Kyōsai's Hyaku Zu, built around one of the great set-pieces of Japanese coastal folklore: the giant clam and its monstrous companion wreaking havoc on the shore. Kyōsai, the last great heir of the Utagawa-influenced ukiyo-e tradition and a master of caricature, used this series to combine erudite literary wit with the popular humour for which he was famed. His kyōga (mad pictures) bridge the worlds of classical proverb literature and Edo street satire, and remain among the most distinctive comic prints of the Meiji period. Affordable in scale yet rich in character, these small-format sheets are the perfect entry point into Kyōsai's world — a chance to own an authentic work by one of Japan's most original artistic minds.