Cats Enjoying the Evening Cool 猫のすゞみねこのすずみ

Description

A kimono-clad cat tries to draw a boat towards a jetty. The approaching boat is also manned by cats. This is a strange image, isn’t it?

The artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi was a big cat lover and produced many works featuring anthropomorphized felines. The picture is interspersed with food items beloved by cats. How many can you find?

Firstly, take a look at the Japanese writing at the top center of the image. This is the title of the work and it is circled by dried bonito tied together with a rope. Just below, Ryogoku Bridge throngs with revelers enjoying the evening cool. In the foreground a courtesan cat has come to meet a boat. Her kimono features abalone and eel motifs. The cat helming the boat is wearing a yukata summer garment with an octopus design. Tucked in the back is a hand towel featuring the Japanese characters for ‘matatabi,’ or silver vine, a plant similar to catnip that cats love. The boat’s lantern also features the characters for ‘mata,’ so perhaps the name of this boathouse is ‘matatabi.’ This work is infused with Kuniyoshi’s affection for our feline friends.

Three humanlike cats are potrayed here enjoying the evening cool near Ryōgoku Bridge. The geisha cat preparing to board the boat wears a kimono with abalone and eel, while the cat on the boat wears one with an octopus design, all foods that cats enjoy. The artist Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) loved cats and was known for such curious and amusing portrayals.