Toba-e

Toba-e (鳥羽絵) is a style of Japanese painting based on works from the 12th century that are attributed to Toba Sōjō. These “Toba-style” images were caricatures sometimes involving animals performing human tasks. Toba-e style images gained popularity as a commercial medium in mid-eighteenth century Edo. Though their popularity did not stay strong, Toba-e images have left a lasting impact through today, particularly in manga.

Toba-e style paintings, as were popular in the Edo period are marked by their comedy over just their visual content. The images should be cheerful and relaxed, but yet humorous. An sense of sarcasm is understood. Color is used light and conservatively. The focus of the image is on the simplicity and precision of the brushwork forming outlines. Strokes for the outlines and details are all applied with very crisp edges, but the shapes those outlines take are extremely playful and organic.

Toba-e is given its name because it is stylistically based on works which have been attributed to a priest from the 12th century, Toba Sōjō. The most prominent of these works is the Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga, or "Scroll of Frolicking Animals and People". Historical accounts and written attributions pin Toba Sōjō as the painter of these works, but there is much speculation as to whether or not the works in question were actually by him. Nonetheless, the style takes after him in name.

Much of the style of toba-e is based on the Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga. This is series of four long scrolls, intended to be read from right to left. The first, and most popular, depicts animals behaving in human ways in a very satirical manner. This work is considered to be the first manga, and is said to be the inspiration for the right to left reading of modern manga. The scroll appears to move through time as well as space as it is viewed, creating a synoptic narrative, or iji-dozu, which means “different time, same illustration.” The animals use bows and fishing poles, ride mules, engage in commerce, participate in Buddhist practices, and more. The intent of the images is debated and left a mystery, but they have a sense of whimsy and fun to them, as we would now still expect from caricature.

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