Joge-e: Two-way pictures
Joge-e, or “two-way pictures,” are a type of woodblock print that can be viewed either rightside-up or upside-down. Large numbers of these playful prints were produced for mass consumption in the 19th century, and they commonly featured bizarre faces of deities, monsters or historical figures (including some from China). Only a few examples of original joge-e survive today. Here are a few.
This print by Kuniyoshi (c. 1852) depicts Hotei (Laughing Buddha) and Shoki (a character from the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms“). When viewed upside-down, Hotei becomes Asahina (a character from a popular novel of the time) and Shoki becomes Zhang Fei.
This woodblock print was published by Ezakiya Tatsuzo (c. 1842). Left to right, top to bottom (upside-down image described in parentheses): 1. Small tengu (Gedo, an evil person), 2. King Zhou, Shang Dynasty (Guan Yu), 3. Wind god (Thunder), 4. Nyudo (Pair of frogs), 5. Tengu looking up (Tengu looking down), 6. Tofu Kozo (Mitsume Kozo), 7. Onamuchi-no-mikoto, Shinto god of nation-building, farming, business and medicine (Iruka-no-omi), 8. Cao Cao (Shoki, Zhang Fei), 9. Mikenja (Ghost of Mirin).
This print by Kuniyoshi (c. 1852) shows a Daruma and Tokusakari (a character from a famous Noh play). Viewed upside-down, the Daruma becomes a Gedo (an evil person) and Tokusakari becomes Ikyu (a character from the famous play “Sukeroku”).
Created by Yoshitora, 1861. Left column (top to bottom): 1. Fukusuke, god of merchant prosperity (Frog), 2. Evil man (Ebisu, god of fishermen and good luck), 3. Fukurokuju, god of wisdom and longevity (Tanuki, racoon dog with giant scrotum). Center: 4. Ikyu (Foreigner) , 5. Okame (Dekusuke), 6. Gedo, an evil person (Asahina). Right: 7. Hotei, Laughing Buddha (Yakko), 8. Earth god (Mountain god).
Created by Yoshitora, 1862. Left column (top to bottom): 1. Tadafumi (Gedo, an evil person), 2. Hunter (Frog), 3. Small tengu (Big tengu), 4. Bad guy (Bad guy). Center: 5. Two-horned demon (One-horned demon), 6. Kasane, possessed female character in famous Kabuki play (Ugly man), 7. Daruma (Daruma). Right: 8. Foreigner (Ainu), 9. Nio guardian (A-un guardian).
[Images from: Edo no Asobi-e, Tokyo Shoseki, 1988 (out of print)]
Haha that’s so neat! Too bad only a few are around.
those are pretty fun!
There’s some strange pics there!
It kind of reminds me of those fold ins on the back of mad magazine by Al Jaffee.
I just discovered this blog today thanks to my curiosity about the cut-face woman. Wonderful stuff! This is such a great collection! :D
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Funny pictures; :)
Ahah !! Omoshiroïna !!
This is very interesting XD
wonderful stuff!
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Joge-e: Two-Way-Pictures - Drehbilder…
Vielleicht kennt der eine oder andere noch das Drehbild Werder hat gewonnen, Werder hat verloren. Im pinktentacle Blog werden eine Reihe von Bildern mit Masken gezeigt die auch zwei Seiten haben.
……
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Joge-e: Gráficos japoneses que cambian de sentido al girar 180º….
Los Joge-e, o "dibujos en dos sentidos", son bloques de madera impresos que pueden ser vistos tanto al derecho como al reves. Grandes cantidades de estos divertidos dibujos se produjeron para el consumo a gran escala en el sigo 19 y mostraban…
[…] Joge-e; The way of the 2way pictures: Joge-e is the Japanese art of drawing pictures that can be viewed upside down as well as downside up. Which makes them fascinating to look at. […]
This is really cool. It’s interesting that these are a piece of Japanese cultural history. In more recent incarnations of the Pokémon games, You can see yourself reflected in the water. The reflection (of yourself, or other characters) looks like another face, reminiscent of this type of print.
There used to be iced lollies molded like these pics in the 70’s in the Uk
[…] LINK […]
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