Even a Sardine Head Will Protect Those Who Truly Believe / Eight Suitors for One Daughter

This print pairs two proverbs: “Even a sardine head will protect those who truly believe,” meaning that faith endows even the trivial with power, and “Eight suitors for one daughter,” describing rivalry and vain ambition. Kyosai turns them into a comic allegory—while the eager suitors compete foolishly, the humble object of belief offers truer protection. The artist satirizes human vanity and contrasts shallow desire with the quiet strength of sincere faith.

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. 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.