Tsuri gitsune, from the series "Pictures of No Performances (Nogaku Zue)"

Tsuri Gitsune (Fox Trapping) is a Meiji woodblock print by Tsukioka Kogyo, published in 1893 in Pictures of No Performances (Nogaku Zue). Although typically classed as a kyogen rather than a noh proper, Tsuri Gitsune is among the most demanding pieces in the kyogen repertoire: an aged fox, disguised as a Buddhist priest named Hakuzosu, persuades a hunter to abandon his traps, only to be tempted into them himself when the disguise is shed. The role requires extraordinary physical control. Kogyo, a pupil of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and Ogata Gekko, treats the subject with the disciplined attention he brings to all noh-e. The composition follows the conventions of the bare cedar stage: a low ground line, sparse setting and concentrated focus on the costumed figure. The keyblock outline preserves the silhouette of the fox costume and mask with characteristic precision, while overprinted patterns and selective [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradations build the textures of the fur and the priest's robe used in the play's first half. A palette of warm ochres, indigo and small accents of red captures the dramatic intensity of the piece without disrupting the noh-e emphasis on iconic stillness. Pictures of No Performances, issued by Matsuki Heikichi, included extensive kyogen content alongside the principal noh subjects. Kogyo's authority came from his unusual access to performances during the Meiji noh revival. The Art Institute of Chicago holds this impression among its substantial Kogyo holdings, where it stands as an authoritative example of late nineteenth-century Meiji woodblock printing devoted to the theater. Source: Art Institute of Chicago (https://www.artic.edu/artworks/155329).