About This Print
This print is one of eight-six prints from the third part of the three part series One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs. (Hyakusen hyakushô) created by the artist Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915), the writer Nishimori Takeki (1861-1923), alias Koppi Dōjin, and the publisher Matsuki Heikichi (1870-1931).
In this print we see Japanese soldiers chipping away at the ice surrounding the Russian Bear who has retreated north to the Arctic Ocean in order to "finish him off."
About The Series One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs
This series One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs was issued in three parts and presented parodies of the enemy, the Chinese in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and ten years later the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The first part of the series titled Long Live Japan: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs, consisting of fifty prints, was issued between September 1894 and August 1895. The second part of the series titled Magic Lantern Society: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs, consisting of twelve prints, was issued between November 1895 and December 1896. Both of these parts parodied (often in a racist manner) the Chinese people, leadership and war effort. The third and last part of the series, consisting of eight-six prints, used the same title as the first part Long Live Japan: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs. Issued between April 1904 and April 1905, the prints parodied the Russian war effort. For more information about the series see the article One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs on this site.
Inscription - Japanese and English
Source: Institut für Ostasienwissenschaften der Universität Wien Ukiyoe Caricatures 1842-1905website http://kenkyuu.eas.univie.ac.at/karikaturen/en/db-suche.htm
last revision:
click on image to enlarge
Source: University of Vienna website http://ukiyoe.univie.ac.at/detail.asp?docid=1137&lang=j&first=1
苦露熊退治（くろくまたいじ） 骨皮道人
我々（われわれ）日本（にほん）の軍人（ぐんじん）ハ、山（やま）をも抜（ぬ）き海（うみ）をも裂（さ）き、水（すい）/火（か）の中（なか）をも更（さら）に恐（おそ）れぬといふ、天下（てんか）無双（むそう）の鉄腸（てつちやう）/男児（だんじ）だぞ、氷炭（ひようたん）相容（あいいれ）ざる憎（にく）い熊（くま）め、イクラ手（て）/前（まへ）が北氷洋（ほくひようやう）の真中（まんなか）に大面（おほづら）を構（かま）へて居（ゐ）ても、斯（か）/う我々（われわれ）が決団力（けつだんりよく）を以（もつ）て取掛（とりかか）りやァ苦露熊（くろくま）の畜生（ちくしやう）何（ど）/処（こ）に迂露附（うろつい）て居（ゐ）るのだ、抜（ぬ）けバ玉（たま）散（ち）る氷（こほり）の刃（やいば）/ 何（なん）でも怒士怒士（どしどし）遣附露遣附露（やつつけろやつつけろ）、と各自（かくじ）に鋸（のこぎり）で/我利我利（がりがり）引（ひ）ッ切（き）るやら、鉄槌（かなづち）で勝利勝利（かちりかちり）と打（ぶ）ッ/・（か）くやら、四方（ほう）八方（ぽう）から粉名微塵（こなみじん）に打砕（うちくだ）/いた、スルと氷（こほり）の中（なか）に顫（ふる）へて居（ゐ）た苦露熊（くろくま）も死（し）/露熊（ろくま）も、みんな慄毛（おぞけ）を振（ふる）ッて氷露裏氷露裏（ひようろりひようろり）と/ 出（で）て来（き）たが、扨（さて）斯（か）うなると所戦（しよせん）もう/ グウの音（ね）も出（で）ず、流石（さすが）の面（つら）の/ 皮（かハ）の厚（あつ）い熊（くま）も餘（よ）ほど兵降（へいこう）/ したと見(ミ)へて、唯（ただ）死案投首（しあんなげくび）/ で、捕虜捕虜（ほりよほりよ）涙（なみだ）を溢（こぼ）しながら/ 熊「どうぞ御勝手（ごかつて）に願（ねが）ひます。
我々（われわれ）日本（にほん）の軍人（ぐんじん）ハ、山（やま）をも抜（ぬ）き海（うみ）をも裂（さ）き、水（すい）/火（か）の中（なか）をも更（さら）に恐（おそ）れぬといふ、天下（てんか）無双（むそう）の鉄腸（てつちやう）/男児（だんじ）だぞ、氷炭（ひようたん）相容（あいいれ）ざる憎（にく）い熊（くま）め、イクラ手（て）/前（まへ）が北氷洋（ほくひようやう）の真中（まんなか）に大面（おほづら）を構（かま）へて居（ゐ）ても、斯（か）/う我々（われわれ）が決団力（けつだんりよく）を以（もつ）て取掛（とりかか）りやァ苦露熊（くろくま）の畜生（ちくしやう）何（ど）/処（こ）に迂露附（うろつい）て居（ゐ）るのだ、抜（ぬ）けバ玉（たま）散（ち）る氷（こほり）の刃（やいば）/ 何（なん）でも怒士怒士（どしどし）遣附露遣附露（やつつけろやつつけろ）、と各自（かくじ）に鋸（のこぎり）で/我利我利（がりがり）引（ひ）ッ切（き）るやら、鉄槌（かなづち）で勝利勝利（かちりかちり）と打（ぶ）ッ/・（か）くやら、四方（ほう）八方（ぽう）から粉名微塵（こなみじん）に打砕（うちくだ）/いた、スルと氷（こほり）の中（なか）に顫（ふる）へて居（ゐ）た苦露熊（くろくま）も死（し）/露熊（ろくま）も、みんな慄毛（おぞけ）を振（ふる）ッて氷露裏氷露裏（ひようろりひようろり）と/ 出（で）て来（き）たが、扨（さて）斯（か）うなると所戦（しよせん）もう/ グウの音（ね）も出（で）ず、流石（さすが）の面（つら）の/ 皮（かハ）の厚（あつ）い熊（くま）も餘（よ）ほど兵降（へいこう）/ したと見(ミ)へて、唯（ただ）死案投首（しあんなげくび）/ で、捕虜捕虜（ほりよほりよ）涙（なみだ）を溢（こぼ）しながら/ 熊「どうぞ御勝手（ごかつて）に願（ねが）ひます。
Kurokuma taiji Koppi Dōjin
”Wareware Nihon no gunjin wa, yama o mo nuki umi o mo saki, sui/ka no naka o mo sara ni osorenu to iu tenkamusō no tetchō/danji da zo, hyōtan aiirezaru nikui kuma me, ikura te/mae ga hokuhyōyō no mannaka ni ōzura o kamaete ite mo, kō/ wareware ga ketsudanryoku o motte torikakarya kurokuma no chikushō do/ko ni urotsuite iru no da, nukeba tama chru kōri no yaiba/ nan demo doshidoshi yattsukeru yattsukeru.” to kakuji ni nokogiri de/ garigari hikkiru yara, kanazuchi de kachirikachiri to bu/kkaku yara, shihō happō kara konamijin ni uchikuda/ita suru to kōri no naka ni furuete ita kurokuma mo shi/rokuma mo minna ozoke o furutte hyorori hyorori to/ dete kita ga, sate kō naru to shosen mō/ gū no ne mo dezu, sasuga no tsura no/ kawa no atsui kuma mo yohodo heikō/ shita to miete, tada shian-nagekubi/ de horyohoryo namida o koboshinagara/ Kuma ”Dōzo gokatte ni negaimasu.”
”Wareware Nihon no gunjin wa, yama o mo nuki umi o mo saki, sui/ka no naka o mo sara ni osorenu to iu tenkamusō no tetchō/danji da zo, hyōtan aiirezaru nikui kuma me, ikura te/mae ga hokuhyōyō no mannaka ni ōzura o kamaete ite mo, kō/ wareware ga ketsudanryoku o motte torikakarya kurokuma no chikushō do/ko ni urotsuite iru no da, nukeba tama chru kōri no yaiba/ nan demo doshidoshi yattsukeru yattsukeru.” to kakuji ni nokogiri de/ garigari hikkiru yara, kanazuchi de kachirikachiri to bu/kkaku yara, shihō happō kara konamijin ni uchikuda/ita suru to kōri no naka ni furuete ita kurokuma mo shi/rokuma mo minna ozoke o furutte hyorori hyorori to/ dete kita ga, sate kō naru to shosen mō/ gū no ne mo dezu, sasuga no tsura no/ kawa no atsui kuma mo yohodo heikō/ shita to miete, tada shian-nagekubi/ de horyohoryo namida o koboshinagara/ Kuma ”Dōzo gokatte ni negaimasu.”
Source: Conflicts of Interest: Art and War in Modern Japan, Philip K. Hu, et. al., Saint Louis Museum of Art, 2016, p. 259
Exterminating a Suffering Russian Bear [by] Koppi Dōjin
People say we Japanese soldiers have moved mountains and parted oceans; we went through fire and water without fear. They say we are unique int he world; we have an iron will (teccho). Since we are as different as fire and ice, we can't get along with this abominable bear. No matter how far he withdraws into the middle of Polar Sea, we show determination. Wherever the brute suffering Russian Bear goes, the ice is no obstacle for us! With knives, saws, sledges, and pickaxes we destroy it - slish-slash! - and get the hardly moving, dying Russian bear out of the inner ice! The bear is inconsolable and exhausted, and because he knows no better, the bear begs in tears: "Please, do whatever you want."
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #1058 |
| Title or Description | Extermination of the Suffering Russian Bear (Kurokuma Taiji 苦露熊退治) |
| Series | Long Live Japan: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs [also translated as Long Live Japan! One Hundred Selections, One Hundred Laughs] Nihon banzai: Hyakusen hyakushō 日本萬歳 百撰百笑 |
| Artist | Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) |
| Signature |  |
| Seal | unread seal as shown above |
| Publication Date | 1904 (Meiji 28) 5th month 20th day |
| Publisher |  (click on image on left to enlarge text in left margin of print) Summary of publisher's text in left margin: Print date 明治三十七年五月十日印刷 Publishing date 仝年仝月二十日發行 unread 画作兼發行者 Publisher's address 日本橋區吉川町二番地 Publisher's name 松木平吉 Publisher's phone number(電話浪花二千二百八十六番) |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - full size; not backed; wrinkling along top edge with mounting residue verso; some soiling |
| Genre | ukiyo-e, senso-e (Sino-Japanese War), giga, fūshiga |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | vertical oban |
| H x W Paper | 14 5/8 x 9 7/8 in. (37.1 x 25.1 cm) |
| H x W Image | 13 7/8 x 9 1/4 in. (35.2 x 23.5 cm) |
| Literature | Conflicts of Interest: Art and War in Modern Japan, Philip K. Hu, et. al., Saint Louis Museum of Art, 2016, p. 259, pl. 125.2 |
| Collections This Print | Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art S2003.8.1296; Waseda University Library チ05 04415 (a bound book of prints from the series); Noda Public Library a11; Library of Congress Call Number: FP 2 - JPD, no. 869 (A size) [P&P]; Institut für Ostasienwissenschaften der Universität Wien 11023-15; Future University Hakodate - Digital Archives Center 1114234337-1114234337(1); Saint Louis Museum of Art 904:2010.15 |
3/9/2020
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