Takeda Katsuchiyo Killing an Old Badger by Moonlight

Ukiyoe (“pictures of the floating world”) woodblock prints were widely admired during the Edo period (1615–1868), especially the 1700s. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi was one of the last ukiyoe artists popular with collectors in the late 1800s.

In Japanese folk tales, foxes and badgers are tricksters. They often disguise themselves as humans, ghosts, or even daily objects, such as those depicted in these prints. Some stories convey moral messages, while others suggest the close relationship between humans and swindlers