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Edo-period artwork gets the cute cat treatment in Japan.

Japanese online retailer Felissimo, which has a whole department dedicated to cat-themed goods, recently added three unusual kittens to their ever-growing collection. Appearing in traditional garb, but retaining feline features, these cats are actually purses taking style cues from famous ukiyo-e woodblock prints from the Edo period (1603 – 1868).

First up, we have a kitty based on a piece called the “Mikaeri Bijin” (Beauty Glancing Back), which was painted by Hishikawa Moronobu (1618-1694), who was known as the “father of ukiyo-e” and mostly painted kabuki scenes and beautiful prostitutes.

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Called the “Mikaeri Bineko”, which translates to “Beautiful Cat Glancing Back”, the white hair ties and green obi sash details are dutifully replicated on the clip-top purse. The orange, blue, and white flowers also appear on the red kimono, with the cute addition of a paw print in the design.

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Next up, we have a painting from 1794 known as “Otani Oniji III in the Role of the Servant Edobei”, painted by Tōshūsai Sharaku, whose real identity remains a mystery to this day. Active for only ten months between 1794 and 1795, some believe the artist could have been a Noh actor, a little-known poet or perhaps even the famous ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai (c.1760-1849). Despite his short active period, the artist made over 140 prints, mostly of kabuki actors, throwing the public off balance with a realism that often captured the subject’s unflattering details.

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However, there’s nothing unflattering about this kitten, especially since he’s showing off a cute, pink paw-pad in the dramatic style of Otani Oniji III. Called “Nyaraku”, a play on words which puts Sharaku, the artist’s name, alongside “nya” an abbreviation of the Japanese word for “meow”, this cat wears stylised kabuki makeup and a cat paw as a family crest.

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The last Edo-styled kitten to join the lineup is called “Poppen”. Based on the famous ukiyo-e “Poppen o Fuku Musume” or “Young Lady Blowing on a Poppen” by Kitagawa Utamaro (c.1753-1806), the beauty’s feline doppelgänger wears a big smash of red lipstick and a fancy, red-ribboned top-knot. In her hand, she holds a poppen, a glass bauble toy popular with geisha during the Edo period. When blown at its flat end, the toy would make a popping sound, similar to a whistle.

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▼ While the purse can be used to hold coins, its shape makes it more suited to holding small personal items like lip gloss…

▼ …or perhaps even a secret stash of candy.

If you’d like to hold a precious painting with cat features in the palm of your hand, these purses are available online for 2,133 yen each (US$18.20). As always, a portion of the sale price goes to the Felissimo cat fund, which works to care for animals without owners and provide assistance to foster pet programs.

Source and images: Felissimo