39 - A humorous Japanese print in the Toba-e (鳥羽絵) style, a satirical genre characterized by figures with abnormally long and slender limbs, and a direct precursor to modern manga. The work is signed in pencil by its illustrator, Hasegawa Mitsunobu (長谷川光信), an artist from the Osaka school active during the 18th century (Edo period). The print depicts a scene from a traditional street performance. The main character carries a performance box containing puppets (ningyō) on his shoulders. He is half-draped in a green cape that serves both as a backdrop and as a screen for manipulating the puppets. On the right, two young Buddhist monks with shaved heads watch the performance with curiosity. The calligraphic text in cursive script (kana) above the figures lends a poetic or humorous tone typical of illustrated publications (ehon) from this era.