II. A Fruit-bearing Tree Is Known From Its Flowers; Fighting Like Dogs and Monkeys (Mi no naru ki wa hana kara shireru; Inu to saru)

II. The print contrasts virtue and folly: the upper proverb, “A fruit-bearing tree is known from its flowers,” praises early signs of worth, while the lower, “Fighting like dogs and monkeys,” mocks petty human quarrels. Together they reveal Kyōsai’s moral wit—true value versus trivial discord.

Kawanabe Kyōsai
Woodblock print, ca. 1863–1866
From the series: One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (暁斎百図, Kyōsai Hyakuzu)
Format: small-format sheet (koban-ban), first edition
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi (若狭屋与市)
Dimensions: approx. 2 * 13 × 18 cm
Medium: polychrome woodblock print (nishiki-e) on handmade washi paper
Edition & Printing Details
This sheet belongs to the first edition of Kyōsai Hyakuzu, published between 1863–1866.

Note
This description is part of an evolving research project. Very few collections of this kind exist worldwide, and each newly studied sheet refines our understanding of the series. The catalogue will be continuously updated and expanded — leaving room for fresh interpretations, new connections, and unexpected discoveries that keep the collection alive and intriguing.