Elephants

It's hardly surprising the Japanese lead the world in graphic novels, manga and animated cartoons. They've been doing it for centuries. It's as natural to them to draw a story as to put it into words. This 'Tai Shun and the elephants'by Kuniyoshi is from 'A Mirror of the Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety' 1840 illustrating a series of stories teaching children their duty to their parents, which I suppose makes them the equivelant of the Victorian morality tale and Mrs Do-As-You-Would-Be-Done-By.'

Notwithstanding that depressing reason for its existance (what IS it about morality tales that make me shudder?) I love the print. Look at the rear of that elephant. The blurb suggests that Kuniyoshi may never have seen a real elephant in his life. A huge (elephant folio!) Phaedon Press book of Japanese prints came in Saturday and I have been enjoying them.