The Courier Kantan dreaming of Himself as a Daimyo (Hikyaku Kantan: yume no daimyo), no. 8 from a series of 12 prints depicting parodies of plays c. 1716s - 1726s

Okumura Masanobu made this woodblock print titled, 'The Courier Kantan dreaming of Himself as a Daimyo' in eighteenth-century Japan. The image depicts a humble courier, collapsed on the ground, dreaming of himself as a powerful Daimyo, a feudal lord, leading a procession. Such images were popular in a society that was rigidly stratified, where social mobility was limited by law. It cleverly plays on the 'Kantan' theme, drawn from Chinese folklore, where a man dreams of glory, only to awaken and realize the futility of earthly desires. Masanobu’s parody might serve as social commentary, gently mocking the rigid class structure of the Edo period. The print medium itself was relatively accessible, suggesting that it would have circulated among a broad audience and it may have served as an entertaining critique of the social hierarchy. To understand this print better, historians consult a range of sources, from official records of class structure and dress codes to popular literature and theater. It all contributes to a fuller picture of art's dialogue with society.