KOJIMA (Tokujiro).
Katazome torumpu-e: Te [Stencil-dyed playing cards: Hands]
Kojima playing cards: Hand-themed
A pack of playing cards, centring around the theme of ‘hands’.
Kojima produced four books of themed designs for playing cards, of which the present copy is one. Each book contains thirteen plates, though instead of the ascension to jack, queen, king, he simply uses the numbers 11, 12 and 13. Additionally, instead of the usual division of hearts/clubs/diamonds/spades, he has decided his own themes. In the case of this book, each card shows an image of hands in relation to its card number. For instance, for no. IV we see four hands holding each point of a crucifix.
What is quite interesting about this series is that Kojima has drawn hands from a range of cultural references. While some cards nod to Christian iconography, others appear to be more secular, but with a medieval aesthetic – no. VIII shows hands holding bugles, while no. XI pictures Western-style swords.
Rare. No copies in OCLC.
